Lost $6.5 Million Spanish Lottery Ticket Returned To ‘Clear Conscience’

A $6.5 million lottery ticket from La Coruna, Spain, that remains unclaimed has been handed in by a man who claims that he wouldn’t have been able to sleep if he’d attempted to pick up the sum of money.

Manuel Reija Gonzalez discovered the $6.5 million ticket, and then returned it to the shop where he bought it. He is now hoping to locate the real winner of the lottery.

Gonzalez stated, ” I never for a moment thought about keeping it because I wanted to be able to sleep well at night with a clear conscience.”

However, Gonzalez will inherit the money if the ticket’s owner doesn’t come forward, which is stipulated under Spanish law.

The ticket for the 30 June 2012 draw still remains unclaimed, however Spanish authorities are refusing to reveal where it was bought exactly in the city. They will test anyone who comes forward.

Gonzalez’s father, brother, and grandfather each work of the Spanish lottery, and he has reiterated how much he empathises with the individual who lost it.

Gonzalez noted, “Because here was somebody who had a problem forgetting his ticket and I put myself in his shoes, and it’s the sort of thing I could have done. I thought the best thing to do was just to return the ticket.”

Gonzalez will be given the money if the real winner doesn’t come forward after two years, and he doesn’t mind if he misses out on the money.

He added, “We’re still in a phase where it’s all just been made public in La Coruna so really what will be will be and I can’t really tell you how I feel. Here we have a phrase: it’s God’s will.”

La Coruna is currently awash with posters and updates informing people of the missing lottery ticket, which is worth $6.5 million.

[Image via chrupka/Shutterstock]