January 25, 1999

NEW YORK STATE LOTTERY SALES REPRESENTATIVE ARRESTED FOR ATTEMPTING TO EXTORT $5000 FROM GROCERY STORE OWNER

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown, joined by New York State Inspector General Roslynn R. Mauskopf, announced today the arrest of a New York State Lottery district sales representative on charges of attempting to extort $5,000 from a Corona, Queens grocery store owner by threatening to remove a Lotto terminal from her store if she didn't pay the money.

District Attorney Brown identified the defendant as Jagdish Makhija, 49, of 53-05 92nd Street, Elmhurst, New York. He will be suspended from his job by the New York State Division Lottery where he has worked since May, 1997. He is charged with grand larceny, bribe receiving and official misconduct among other crimes and faces up to 15 years in prison upon conviction.

According to the charges, during the week of October 26, 1998, the defendant visited the J.R. Grocery store which is located at 96-20 Roosevelt Avenue, Corona and demanded to be paid $5,000 for the Lotto terminal in the store. It is alleged that he told the store owner that if the money were not paid he would force her to sign a voluntary surrender notice which would allow him to remove the terminal from her store. Thereafter, it is charged, he again went to the store and demanded money from the storeowner. In fear for her safety, the store owner allegedly handed over $150.

Based on information gathered by the New York State Division of Lottery and referred to the Inspector General's Office, a joint investigation was begun by the Queens District Attorney's Office and the Inspector General's office. On November 23, 1998 and January 22, 1999, the defendant came into the store again and allegedly received $500 and $1,000, respectively, from the store owner. He was placed under arrest on January 22th.

The investigation leading to the arrest was conducted by Investigators Robert Gibbs and Edward Gannon of the Inspector General's Office. Assistant District Attorney Robert S. Ciesla of District Attorney Brown's Integrity Bureau, which is under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Vincent J. Carroll and the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney Robert D. Alexander, is in charge of the prosecution.

It should be noted that an arrest is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.