The Texas Lottery has been riddled with scandal and corruption for more than three decades. The Texas Lottery Commission and its former Executive Director now face first-degree felony charges in court this week in the next step towards accountability for taxpayers.
Gary Grief, the former executive director of the Texas Lottery Commission, is scheduled to appear in the 167th District Court in Austin on Friday, June 26, 2026, at 9:00 a.m.1
Grief and the now eliminated agency where the Texas Lottery was being operated now face a re-indictment on first-degree felony charges of abuse of official capacity.2 Prosecutors allege he misused his position to defraud the state in connection with a controversial $95 million Lotto Texas jackpot drawing in 2023. The case centers on an alleged scheme involving agents of state government and lottery courier services that enabled bulk purchases of millions of ticket combinations by an out-of state crime-syndicate.
An initial indictment in April 2026 was dismissed days later by a Travis County assistant district attorney citing prosecutorial discretion.3 A grand jury then returned soon after to issue a new indictment, mirroring the original charges.
The scandal has contributed to broader scrutiny of the Texas Lottery, including investigations into jackpot irregularities and the agency’s handling of third-party ticket resellers.
No trial date has been set as of this point.
Texans for Fiscal Responsibility launched the Texas Anti-Predatory Gambling Alliance (TAPGA) last year. TAPGA is a project of TFR dedicated to preserving Texas’ prohibition on predatory gambling in every form and protecting taxpayers and families from the long list of harms that come with the expansion of gambling in the Lone Star State.
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