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The following is a statement issued by Richard Lee Knowlton, who has been charged with 268 counts of manipulating the lottery's computer system to claim 126 prizes during an 18-month period:

I would like to begin by saying that from my reading of the affidavit accompanying the search warrant served on Capitol City Bank, it appears that the Kansas Bureau of Investigation wishes to prosecute me for all 123 tickets found to have been altered or tampered with in their investigation of the Kansas Lottery. If that is indeed the case, I unequivocally deny those charges.

In truth, some of those 123 tickets that it appears I am being accused of altering were the very reason I launched my own personal investigation. I do admit that I didn't think about violating state statutes, and never even dreamed of being prosecuted as a criminal, when I set out to show the Kansas Lottery the gaping holes in its security system by altering 12 tickets and cashing 11 of them. I understand that this was not the proper means by which I should have brought this issue to the attention of the Kansas Lottery and for that I am deeply sorry.

However, I felt that I had no other choice but to do something like this to make the officials of the Kansas Lottery listen. Based on numerous cover-ups and other apparent illegal activity by Lottery Administration that I was aware of over the last two to three years, I felt I had no one to confide in at the onset of my own investigation.

At the time I began my investigation, I had been trying to tell my colleagues at the Kansas Lottery that our computer system was no longer secure due to the introduction of multiple personal computers into a formerly closed system. I specifically mentioned the scenario which I in fact investigated to Mr. Darrell Pflughoft, Director of Security for the Kansas Lottery, on several occasions over the past year and told many of my other colleagues and employees that I could no longer guarantee the integrity of the system due to the wide open access allowed through the personal computers.

As my warnings and attempts to get my colleagues to notice the problem continued to fall on deaf ears, I decided that I would have to provide them with evidence of the security issues before they would take notice. I wanted to shock the Kansas Lottery into action. As a result, I set about gathering evidence. At no time did I ever intend to keep any money obtained through cashing in an altered ticket. Instead, I hoped to place $6,000 on the desk of the Executive Director of the Lottery in Mr. Pflughoft's presence along with the evidence of how this money was obtained, and demonstrate to the leadership of the Lottery that the grave security issue which I had been trying to warn them about did in fact exist. I then hoped to work within the Lottery to close the security hole and try to resolve the issue and identify the culprit or culprits responsible for the altered tickets I had discovered in my investigation. I wanted to keep this investigation within the Lottery because I knew what kind of damage would be done if the general populace becomes aware that the computer system of the Kansas Lottery was not secure.

When five of the tickets I had altered in my investigation were discovered, I admitted my responsiblity and returned the money and information to the Kansas Lottery. Immediately following this, the Kansas Lottery placed me on leave pending investigation into my conduct and threatened me with criminal prosecution. I offered to resign, which was accepted by the Lottery, but was never offered the opportunity to explain my actions or speak with those that I had intended to speak with about this issue.

Due to the Lottery's threat of criminal prosecution, I immediately obtained Mr. Rork as my counsel and have continued to wait expectantly during the course of the KBI's investigation, for an opportunity to aid that investigation. Sadly, it appears that I am to be made a scapegoat, and must now protect my own name and my innocence of criminal charges rather than assist the KBI's investigation as I truly want to do.

I have been with the State of Kansas for over 20 years and have been involved with information technology and data processing as a professional for almost 30 years. In that time I have an unblemished record and have been lauded for my diligence in the performance of my duties as well as my innovations and service to the State of Kansas. Why would I jeopardize my name and reputation for an amount of money I almost make in 1 year?

The ironic part of this entire sad affair is that had I not admitted to anything, I would have been assisting with this very investigation and most likely, no one would have discovered that I had done what I have admitted to doing. Indeed, why would I admit to altering the tickets I did, and constantly sought to bring this situation to the attention of the Lottery if I was responsible for all 123 tickets as it appears I am being accused.

Thus, for my honesty and diligence, I am being prosecuted for the very problem which I brought to light.