Spanish Broadcasting System announced its Chicago O&O WLEY-FM "La Ley" Chicago has delivered a 1999 Corvette previously owned by a popular Mexican regional recording artist, Juan Rivera, to representatives of Maribel Nava Alvarez. Alvarez’s name was selected in a drawing held on July 4, 2005 but was unable to receive the Corvette because of not being a legal US citizen at the time.
The 22-year-old woman sued La Ley and SBS over it for breach of contract and emotional distress.
In a written statement, La Ley said that it is legally required to get a valid Social Security number or tax identification number from anyone who wins prizes worth more than 500 dollars. The station tried to give Alvarez the car even though her tax information couldn’t be verified, the statement said.
Alvarez said she was never told she needed to be a U.S. citizen or legal resident to win the car.
Alvarez’s suit also names SBS lawyer James Cueva, who sent her attorney a letter, threatening to contact immigration officials if she pursued a lawsuit, reported The AP. Alvarez has left the Chicago area out of fear she’d be deported.
