Circle K Manager's $12.8M Lottery Battle | Phoenix News

A former Circle K manager is locked in a legal battle over a $12.8 million lottery ticket he allegedly bought using company funds — but claims he followed policy. After a customer couldn’t pay for $85 worth of tickets, Gawlitza was left with extras, including the winner. He clocked out, then back in before purchasing it — a move his lawyer says was compliant with an unwritten company rule that employees must buy accidental tickets with their own money. Six former managers back this up, and text messages show his district manager approved the purchase. Despite this, Gawlitza was fired in January 2026, and the ticket remains at Circle K’s headquarters as the court weighs who truly owns the fortune. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/aa131ee9a932e874