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A California woman claims she is owed a $1.08 billion Powerball jackpot, even though another woman already claimed it. Is she really owed that money?
That's the billion-dollar question at the center of this wild lawsuit, which is now facing a possible shutdown. State officials in California are asking a judge to toss the case before it ever goes to trial.
California officials want the case thrown out
The Attorney General's Office in California recently filed court papers with Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Upinder S. Karla. While the case has a hearing scheduled for August 21, the Attorney General's Office is asking for the court to dismiss the case.
California officials state that while plaintiff Stacy Tru alleges there was a breach of contract, she didn't even attach a copy of the contract that she alleges the commission has breached to her complaint.
According to the court papers, the AG's Office said:
Because plaintiff did not attach a copy of the contract, did not provide the terms of the contract verbatim, and then did not allege facts demonstrating the breach of contract based on those terms, her breach of contract claim fails as alleged.
A ticket is the only acceptable proof
The rules for the California Lottery state that the only acceptable proof of a player's ticket numbers and the “only acceptable instrument” for claiming a prize is a valid, original Powerball ticket, according to court papers.
Tru is also alleging a claim for common count, which is a general claim for money due. The purpose of a common count is to allow the plaintiff to recover money owed to them, regardless of the specific legal basis for the claim.
The AG's Office claims both causes of action have issues that can't be overcome. Because of that, they say Tru's lawsuit should be dismissed.
Tru's original lawsuit
The lawsuit from Tru, which was filed on January 28, doesn't give many details. She alleges she is entitled to the $1.08 billion jackpot that was won in California during the July 19, 2023, Powerball drawing.
Tru is seeking $1.08 billion along with interest retroactive to October 15, 2023, the date she claims she made a claim for the money and was denied.
The winner has already claimed the jackpot
While Tru is claiming she won the $1.08B Powerball jackpot, another California woman has already claimed that jackpot and received her money. In March 2024, the California Lottery announced that Yanira Alexander was the lucky lady who purchased the winning ticket from Las Palmitas Mini Market in downtown Los Angeles.
The win came in July 2023, ending a 39-draw jackpot run for Powerball. It was also the first of two back-to-back billion-dollar winning tickets sold in California.
The other win happened in October 2023, when a $1.77B Powerball ticket was purchased in Frazier Park. Both of those huge jackpot winners declined to make any public comments after their back-to-back wins.
Enjoy playing the California Lottery, and please remember to play responsibly.
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