Posted on 03/07/2012 2:13:38 PM PST by SMGFan
ELIZABETH, N.J., March 7 (UPI) -- A New Jersey man claims his winning $77 million lottery ticket was purchased independently, and is not the ticket he bought for a pool of five co-workers.
In a civil lawsuit that began Tuesday in Elizabeth, N.J., plaintiffs are accusing Americo Lopes of fraud, and demand that he share his winnings with them.
Lopes was the organizer of a lottery pool at the construction company where he worked, and made regular purchases of betting tickets. On Nov. 10, 2009 he held a winning Mega Millions ticket, but did not inform his co-workers, instead telling his supervisor he required time off for foot surgery, the Newark (N.J.) Star-Ledger reported. In March 2010 he returned to inform his boss he'd won the lottery and would not return to work, court papers said.
(Excerpt) Read more at upi.com ...
His co-wokers learned the hard way...
Play stupid games - Win stupid prizes.
Sorry....I think he wins. They need evidence and apparently they have none.
Lotteries create nothing but losers.
now if the “partners” would present all their legal papers maybe things could be worked out.....????...where’d they go?
What an AH this guy is..
And he never had foot surgery...
Damn liar.
Distribute the money amongst the others, and give this guy nothing.
Maybe, but I'd really like the chance to prove you wrong :)
His co-workers may suggest he consider a lead injection as an alternative.....after all; it’s Joisee.
Normally, when one is in one of these pools, a photo copy is made of the tickets purchases and sent to each of the pool members. Absent the winnin number being in such a receipt, I don’t think that they have much of a legal leg to stand on.
Of course, if the man is telling the truth, he could offer $500,000 or so to each of his four co-workers as a courtesy payment to get them to fob off. I think they would take it.
By lying about the foot surgery he reveals his own fundamental dishonesty. If I was on the jury, I’d be more inclined to find against his claim of an independent purchase.
No evidence?
Ya got 5 people willing to testify against one, and in fact it’s already been established, this guy is a liar.
It would be tempting not to do this myself if my coworkers had no proof. I’d like to think I wouldn’t do it, but you never know until it happens to you.
right , if no real agreement can be proven, you always depend on honesty of the ticket buyer. Sure it seems fishy.
A lot depends on this pool’s common practice. It doesn’t change that he’s a liar.
Verbal agreements are legal contracts but without the co-workers having a copy of the purchased ticket(s) they are screwed.
Eggs-zactly.
When I was in an office pool we all signed an informal agreement outlining how the tickets would be bought and how winnings (if any) would be distributed.
A local group just won $16 million. They have an attorney and a trust already.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/article/Group-has-ticket-to-lottery-riches-3336691.php
Office pools can work. IF everyone has more than an ounce of brains. It sounds like this Jersey group screwed up.
Lottery pools are worthless. A few tickets don’t increase your odds that much and you invite lawsuits....Buy your own tickets!(if you want to share your stories of what you would do with the money..well that’s what the breakroom is for)
After this liar's claim of going to the foot doctor, he should be made to have no leg to stand on.
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