News writer
Winning the lottery can seem like a dream come true. However, it often comes with drama and legal troubles, which is exactly what this Mega Millions jackpot winner is experiencing.
A $1.35 billion jackpot win
On January 13, 2023, life changed for this Maine man, who has remained anonymous. He won one of the biggest lottery jackpots in American history after matching all of the numbers in that night's drawing and taking home the $1.35 billion Mega Millions jackpot.
Ever since that big win, he seems to be in a legal battle of he said-she said, and now he has been accused of stiffing his family of their share of the jackpot, which they claim he promised to them. The promises included setting up a million-dollar trust fund and covering medical expenses for his father.
The legal battle
In November 2023, the winner filed a lawsuit against the mother of his daughter. In the lawsuit, he accused her of violating a non-disclosure agreement they had in place by telling the rest of the family about him winning the Mega Millions jackpot before their daughter's 18th birthday in 2032, the Independent reported.
However, in new court filings, the mom — identified by a pseudonym, Sara Smith — claims the winner was the one who told his family about his big win, not her.
Winner's father isn't on his side
They say family has your back, but not in this case. In the new court filings, the winner's father backs the claims made by Smith, saying his son told the family about his lottery win. He then told them about all the things he was going to do with the money.
According to court documents, the man said his son came to his house and told him and his wife about winning a large amount of money in the Maine State Lottery. He added:
I understand that my son has stated that he told me nothing about his money “other than the simple fact that I had won.” That is not true.
While the father claims he didn't ask his son for any money, the big winner allegedly started making a list of promises he would do with the money, including buying his childhood home, building a garage for his dad to fix up old cars, funding future medical expenses for his dad and stepmom, and setting up a million-dollar trust fund.
With those promises made, his son also allegedly demanded he not speak to Smith ever again. This created a rift between the two, with the father telling him:
You are not the son I knew.
He claims they fought, with his son getting mad and calling him a “dictator” and an “a–hole.” Since that fight, he states he hasn't heard from his son, and he hasn't done any of the things he promised.
The winner's take on things
On the flip side, the winner described things a little differently in his own court filings. He wrote:
I made the mistake of telling my father that I had won the lottery without having him sign a confidentiality agreement.
After that, he said their relationship deteriorated. The winner claims he didn't tell his father anything he was planning on doing with the winnings.
The winner also accused Smith of trying to reveal his identity to the world. He states she also accused him of trying to kidnap their daughter after he wouldn't pay for a vacation for her and her boyfriend.
Enjoy playing the Maine Lottery, and please remember to play responsibly.
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