Urooj Khan celebrates winning $1million, a day later he died from cyanide poisoning
Quite often Lottery winners featured at Euro-millions.org are often touted as unlucky despite winning a fortune because it appears that as soon as they come into the money they are suddenly cursed with bad luck.
Urooj Khan, 46, is another example of luck changing from good to bad for a lottery winner. The Chicago resident died a tragic sudden death on 20th July, 2012 last year just one day after he was issued with his winnings. However, his winnings weren’t cashed until 15th August, 2012, almost a month after he had died.
However, a post mortem has now been ordered after a lethal dose of cyanide had been found ingested by Khan suggesting that Khan’s death had nothing to do with luck and was more down to a case of foul play. A re-examination into Khan’s death had been requested by a family member who asked for a full toxicology report. It has not been confirmed which family member of Khan’s requested the re-examination. A toxicology report had not initially been carried out because the Cook County medical examiner does not investigate deaths of individuals aged 45 or above or if the death was suspicious unless a re-examination is requested. No signs of trauma were immediately apparent when Khan died. The original report into Khan’s death had ruled that he had died from narrowing and hardening of the coronary arteries.
Khan had won the $600,000 on the Chicago lottery that amounted to a figure of $425,000 after taxes. Chicago Police confirmed that they were now investigating the incident as homicide rather than death through natural causes as was first suspected. It is thought that someone who knew about Khan’s lottery win was keen to get their hands on his new found wealth.
Cook County Medical Examiner Stephen Cina confirmed that finding such a large dose of cyanide in an individual’s system after death was a rare occurrence and as such needed to be investigated.
Cina said “It’s pretty unusual. I’ve had one, maybe two cases out of 4,500 autopsies I’ve done.”
He added “Cyanide poisonings are more common in fictional literature.”
It is a sad end to the life of a man who appeared to be enjoying the prospect of living a wealthier lifestyle. Khan was presented to the Chicago media at an Illinois lottery ceremony where he was presented with his giant cheque on 26th June, 2012 after winning his lump sum.
Khan said “Winning the lottery means everything to me.”
Khan had also plans for the winnings and stated that he intended to donate a percentage of his winnings to a children’s hospital. Khan also owned a number of dry cleaning stores and said he would use his winnings to invest money into his own business to improve the standard of the dry cleaning stores he owned.
Shabana Ansari, Khan’s wife, has spoken of his death saying “I was shattered. I can’t believe he’s no longer with me.”
Ansari, 32, added “I don’t think anyone would have a bad eye for him or that he had any enemy.”
Ansari has now been left to run Khan’s dry cleaning stores. It has been confirmed that in the event of a lottery winner’s death then the money would go to the winner’s estate. Chicago Police has so far refused to comment on any potential suspects and are continuing with their investigations.
Khan’s death is not the first time suspicion has been aroused after a big lottery win. Several other examples exist including the brother of a winner hiring a hitman to see off his lucky sibling and the husband that took his wife’s life after she squandered lots of the money they had won.