Chicago Lotto Winner Fatally Poisoned

Urooj Khan, holding his winning
and presumably fatal lottery ticket.
(photo: abcnews.go.com)

The obvious fantasy with a lottery ticket purchase is winning a fortune. The process is a bit like fishing, in that one is encouraged to throw back a small catch into the water. The only thing that matters is the big fish. However, people's desire for whatever they imagine money can bring also has its dark side.

A lottery winner from Chicago discovered the truth of this observation the hard way. According to a report in today's online edition of the Los Angeles Times, 47-year-old Urooj Khan recently won a cool million playing the Illinois Lottery. About one month after his success, he died of what was initially diagnosed as heart disease. A relative did not believe the reasonably healthy Khan would have simply dropped dead. The Cook County medical examiner reopened the case. Evidence of a fatal dose of cyanide was found; the cause of death was duly revised to indicate foul play.

Sometimes, it doesn't pay to win.