CHICAGO (AP) - Documents show the widow a Chicago lottery winner poisoned with cyanide has battled in court with several of his siblings over control of his estate, including his lottery winnings.
Urooj Khan died suddenly in July just as the 46-year-old businessman was about to collect $425,000 in prize money.
The court documents shed no light on the circumstances of Khan's death, but add a layer of drama to the story.
Khan's brother Imtiaz and sister Meraj Khan won an order from a probate judge in September to freeze the lottery check, asserting his widow tried to cash it. They expressed concern in court filings that Khan's daughter from a previous marriage might not get her share.
The widow, Shabana Ansari, denies removing assets from the estate.
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Previous story:
CHICAGO (AP) - The widow of a Chicago lottery winner who died of cyanide poisoning says she has no idea who in their family asked that authorities take the deeper look into what originally was believed to be a death by natural causes.
Shabana Ansari spoke to The Associated Press on Tuesday, a day after news emerged that her husband's death in July was the result of cyanide poisoning.
Prosecutors, Chicago police and the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office are investigating 46-year-old Urooj Khan's death as a homicide. But they have not given any details, announced any suspects or ascribed any possible motive.
They've also not identified the relative who asked for a deeper look into Khan's death. Ansari said she didn't make the request and didn't know who did.
(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
Original story
JASON KEYSER
Associated Press
CHICAGO (AP) - A Chicago man who died of cyanide poisoning just before he was to collect $425,000 in lottery winnings had been inspired by a pilgrimage to lead a better life and stop gambling.
7-Eleven store clerk Ashur Oshana said Urooj Khan had told him he was going to stop playing the lottery after being on the hajj in Saudi Arabia. But Khan bought his winning scratch-off ticket anyway and gave Oshana a $100 tip.
Khan's lump-sum check was cut by the state Comptroller's Office on July 19. Khan died July 20, and the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office said he died of natural causes.
But a relative asked for a deeper examination, and the results showed Khan was killed by cyanide poisoning.
His death is now classified as a homicide.
(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
