No prison for lottery winner theft

New Haven (AP) - A Connecticut judge has given a suspended prison sentence to one of three men charged with stealing up to $1 million in cash from a lottery jackpot winner in North Branford.

Joseph Bernardo,25, of East Haven, avoided prison Tuesday after turning over $175,000 in restitution checks to the victim, Giuseppe Diglio.

Police say Diglio kept his winnings in a home safe and the money was taken in November 2007.

Two of the three East Haven men charged are the grandson and son-in-law of the victim. The relatives, 45-year-old Raffaele Iuliano Sr. and 19-year-old Raffaele Iuliano Jr., are awaiting sentencing.

Police say Diglio and his wife hit a lottery jackpot in 1986 and were keeping the winnings in a safe in their basement.

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Information from: New Haven Register