On June 4, a court in Ancona, Italy, issued an unusual ruling granting a residence permit to Imagbe Ehizomwengie, who won €500,000 on a scratch card but was unable to collect the money because he lacked legal status in the country.
The story began in 2016, when Ehizomwengie left Nigeria after refusing, he said, to join a secret cult led by his father. His journey to Europe lasted more than a decade and included two years in captivity in Libya until a ransom was paid by his family, followed by a crossing of the Mediterranean to the Italian coast.
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Italy issued an unusual ruling granting a residence permit to Ehizomwengie, who won €500,000 on a scratch card
(Photo: shutterstock)
After settling in Italy, he bought a €5 scratch card and won half a million euros. But he soon realized he had fallen into a trap. To collect the prize he needed a bank account, and to open a bank account he needed residency. Without financial independence he could not prove residency in Italy — the very financial independence that the prize could have provided. At the time, he survived by selling scarves and begging.
His first attempt to obtain a residence permit under Italy’s special protection status failed. That route was further restricted after the government tightened eligibility rules in 2023.
Ehizomwengie did not give up. He continued learning Italian and working, eventually managing to buy a small shop called “Mama Africa” in the city of Falconara Marittima, which sells African food products. His lawyer, Andrea Palazzeschi, filed a petition in the Ancona court arguing that his Italian language skills, employment and financial independence made him eligible for residency. The court accepted the arguments.
“I’ve been praying for this moment ever since I arrived in Italy,” said Imagbe Ehizomwengie. “It’s a huge relief. You might think it’s incredible, but receiving the permit means more to me than winning the money. I want to work and contribute to society,” he told The Guardian.
Now, with a residence permit in hand, Ehizomwengie will finally be able to open a bank account and formally claim the €500,000 prize.