Posted on 02/05/2018 5:05:55 PM PST by NRx
The winning numbers triple-checked and the lottery ticket signed, the New Hampshire woman knew her life was about to change in a very positive way — except for one petrifying thing.
As the winner of last month’s $560 million Powerball, she would soon be the world’s newest owner of a nine-digit bank account.
But because of lottery rules, everyone in the world would know about it — neighbors, old high school friends, con artists, criminals.
Now the woman is asking a judge to let her keep the cash — and remain anonymous. In court documents obtained by NewHampshire.com, she is fittingly identified only as Jane Doe.
“She is a longtime resident of New Hampshire and is an engaged community member,” the woman’s attorney, Steven Gordon, wrote in the court documents. “She wishes to continue this work and the freedom to walk into a grocery store or attend public events without being known or targeted as the winner of a half-billion dollars.”
On one side of the case are lottery officials who say the integrity of the games depends on the public identification of its winners as a protection against fraud and malfeasance. A local woman holding up a giant check while cameras flash and reporters scrawl also happens to be a powerful marketing tool.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Tough Noogies! She bought in a state requiring she be identified.
If she has the time, she should simply change her name and change up her look for the photos. Then, after a year or so, change it all back :-). Problem (mostly) solved though there are sucmbags out there that make it their life’s mission to rip people off ... and not just Democrats.
Morally I’m on her side. But legally I agree.
crumbs/s
She can’t set up a trust to collect the money? Or something on that order?
"...anonymous lottery winner..."
I always thought that if I won big like that, I’d tell the Lottery Commission that I would tell every interviewer that buying lottery tickets was stupid, a tax on poor people, and a horrible bet. Then for the photo op, I’d wear a T-Shirt saying “Don’t buy lottery tickets”
You pays your money, you takes your chances...
Not in our state, a winner CAN remain anonymous.
Lottery officials may not like it, but tough!
In Hong Kong the pots are comparitively TINY yet ALL winners show up to collect in MASKS —every one of them.
Kidnapping risk too high.
Change your name legally...
Move out of the state....maybe the country.
Change your looks when picking up the money....
Lot's of options........
Personally I think every state ought to have the winners of big lotteries the option to be anonymous.
I like it..........
Utter horse feces. The lottery can easily just announce the gender, age, and county or city of the winner.
BTW, if you ever win the Powerball, don't claim it immediately. There are attorneys who specialize in lottery winners, and they can create a double blind trust. Meaning the trust would claim the winnings.
But the lottery thrives on people who run out there shouting it to the world.
Maybe she doesn’t want debt collectors ringing her phone off the hook!
I hope she wins the case and then it holds true for every winner, from everywhere, from now on!
Change name, wear a burqa. Problem solved.
Sell it to someone for 5 million, let them collect, take the heat, and then get the 555:million from them afterward.
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