Who is Michael Ford? Why Did He Sue Abraham Shakespeare?

When Abraham Shakespeare won the lottery, it completely transformed his life. However, his former co-worker, Michael Ford, came forward and claimed that the winning ticket had been stolen from him and that he was the rightful winner. Although the two had purchased lottery tickets together, there was little evidence to support the idea that Abraham had deceived his friend. ABC’s ’20/20′ episode titled ‘Unlucky Numbers’ dives into the complexities of Abraham’s life, including the legal battle initiated by Ford over the ownership of the jackpot.

Michael Ford and Abraham Shakespeare Bought the Tickets Together

In 2006, Michael Ford and Abraham Shakespeare were colleagues at MBM Corp., a food distribution company based in Lakeland, Florida. Ford worked as a driver, while Abraham was employed as a temporary trucker’s assistant. The two developed a friendly rapport and often spent time together while making deliveries. On November 15, 2006, during a routine workday, they stopped at the Town Store, a local convenience store on US 27. According to Ford, he had a habit of purchasing lottery tickets every Wednesday, and on that particular day, Abraham gave him money and asked him to buy two Quick Pick Lotto tickets on his behalf.

When Ford returned with the tickets, Abraham handed him the $2 as agreed. Ford said he then placed his own ticket in his wallet and stored it in the truck’s overhead compartment. He said that he noticed that his tickets were missing on November 17, but thought that he had misplaced them. On November 18, news broke that Abraham had won the lottery. That very day, Ford confronted Abraham, claiming that his lottery tickets had mysteriously gone missing from his wallet. He alleged that during their delivery route, there were multiple opportunities when he had left the truck unattended, giving Abraham the chance to steal them. Ford further claimed that when he confronted his co-worker about it, Abraham allegedly admitted to taking the tickets but said there was no way to prove it.

Michael Ford Alleged the Winning Lottery Ticket Had Been Stolen From Him

In May 2007, Michael Ford filed a lawsuit against Abraham Shakespeare, formally presenting his version of events and claiming rightful ownership of the winning lottery ticket. Abraham strongly denied the allegations and acknowledged that Ford had indeed purchased the tickets, but maintained that he had paid Ford for them and had not stolen anything. According to Abraham, after news of his lottery win spread, Ford initially approached him with a request for $1 million. He said he told Ford to wait as he had not yet received the funds. However, just days later, Ford allegedly threatened legal action.

In court, Abraham testified emotionally and stated that if Ford had simply asked for money in a genuine manner, he would have willingly given him $250,000. He expressed his disappointment, saying that Ford was once a friend, but even if he ended up receiving any money through deceit, it wouldn’t bring him real success, calling it “dirty money.” Ultimately, the case was dismissed in Abraham’s favor, and Ford did not receive any portion of the winnings in the lottery. The latter reportedly moved to Georgia after a short while and has since kept away from the eyes of the public.