(This article has been updated since first being published.)
Gary Grief, longtime former executive director of the Texas Lottery Commission, is reportedly missing, with sources telling Texas Scorecard that authorities have been unable to locate him. His lawyer claims Grief is at home.
Grief abruptly retired in February 2024 after serving 14 years as executive director and decades in the agency.
His tenure has recently come under scrutiny following an investigation that revealed he authorized illicit lottery resellers to operate in Texas. Those online sales have been the target of legislation in the Senate, as well as an investigation by the Texas Rangers.
Also during Grief’s time, the commission aided a foreign gambling syndicate to game the lottery system and walk off with a $95 million jackpot. Members of the Texas Legislature have likened that situation to a “money laundering” operation.
Though the House and Senate have held committee hearings on the Lottery Commission this year, Grief has not testified.
According to individuals familiar with the situation, concerns over Grief’s whereabouts have grown in recent weeks. Some sources believe he may have fled to Mexico.
Calls to David Gonzalez, one of Grief’s attorneys, went unanswered. A second lawyer, criminal defense attorney Sam Bassett, contacted Texas Scorecard after publication to dispute the notion Grief had “fled,” saying he was “at home.” Texas Scorecard has not been able to independently verify Grief’s location.
