Texas Men Charged in Wisconsin Megabucks Lottery Hacking Case

WISCONSIN — Two Texas men face multiple felony charges for their alleged roles in fixing the outcome of a Wisconsin Lottery Megabucks game, including hacking lottery computers to rig the winning numbers.

Eddie Tipton and Robert Rhodes, both of Texas, have both been charged with Engaging in Racketeering Activities and Theft by Fraud. Tipton is also charged with four additional counts of Computer Crime.

Their criminal complaint alleges that the two defendants conspired to win the December 29, 2007, Wisconsin Megabucks lottery game. Tipton, who was an employee of the Multi-State Lottery Association and responsible for programming the software used in the random number generator (RNG) machines used to pick the winning numbers, allegedly planted a modified code in the RNG software that produced a predictable set of winning numbers when certain conditions were met.

Tipton allegedly supplied those numbers to Rhodes, who then purchased a ticket with the winning numbers. Rhodes later submitted the winning ticket for payment, and Rhodes and Tipton allegedly split the proceeds totaling $783,257.72. The complaint further alleges that three other Wisconsin Megabucks lottery drawings were manipulated by Tipton’s modified code.

Tipton is summoned to make his initial appearance on February 13, 2017, in Dane County Circuit Court. Rhodes is summoned for his initial appearance on February 16, 2017.

Tipton and Rhodes also are both currently charged in Iowa with Ongoing Criminal Conduct for their part in attempting to defraud the Iowa lottery in December 2010. Tipton’s Iowa charges include his alleged involvement in similar schemes in Colorado, Kansas, and Oklahoma.

You can view the criminal complaint here.

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