Chicago Lottery Winner Urooj Khan Died of Cyanide Poisoning; Case Still Unsolved

A Chicago man who won $1 million in the lottery and then dropped dead a month later was poisoned, police said.

Urooj Khan, a 46-year-old Indian immigrant, hit the jackpot in June 2012 on a scratch-off ticket he bought at a 7-Eleven on the city's North Side. Khan, who owned dry-cleaning businesses, said he planned to donate some of the money to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, pay off his debts, and invest the rest in his businesses.

At a ceremony publicizing his win, he told lottery officials: "Winning the lottery means everything to me."

The actual check, for nearly $425,000 after taxes on the lump-sum payout, was cut on July 19, 2012. Khan died the next day.

What happened

According to police, Khan came home from work on July 20, ate dinner with his wife Shabana Ansari and daughter Jasmeen, and went to bed. He never woke up. The death was initially attributed to natural causes: Khan had hardened arteries, and no autopsy red flags were raised at first.

Months later, after a relative raised questions, the Cook County medical examiner re-examined the case and found lethal levels of cyanide in Khan's blood. The death was reclassified as a homicide. The news broke in January 2013, turning a feel-good lottery story into a murder mystery.

The investigation

Police treated it as a homicide investigation. The cyanide had to have been ingested shortly before death, which pointed to the dinner table. No one was ever charged. Khan's wife denied any involvement, and the case remains officially unsolved, one of the strangest lottery-linked deaths in American history.

The tragedy carried a grim irony: Khan had beaten million-to-one odds to win the lottery, then died within 24 hours of collecting, before he could donate a dollar to the children's hospital or pay a single debt.

FAQ

Who was Urooj Khan? A 46-year-old Indian immigrant in Chicago who won a $1 million Illinois lottery scratch-off in June 2012.

How did he die? Of cyanide poisoning on July 20, 2012, the day after his $425,000 lump-sum check was cut. Initially ruled natural causes, reclassified as homicide months later.

Was anyone charged? No. The case remains unsolved; police investigated but made no arrests.

What happened to the money? The winnings became part of his estate, subject to probate.

The takeaway

Urooj Khan's story is the lottery dream inverted: the win arrived, the money arrived, and then, within a day, the poison. Some jackpots are not worth winning.