All she has to do to collect a $560 million lotto jackpot is make her name public. She refuses.
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.
On the other side is a woman suddenly faced with a life-changing stroke of luck who, court documents say, wishes to live “far from the glare and misfortune that has often fallen upon other lottery winners.”
The law doesn’t appear to be on her side.
New Hampshire lottery rules require the winner’s name, town and amount won be available for public information, in accordance with open-records laws . The state allows people to form an anonymous trust, NewHampshire.com reported, but it’s a moot point for the woman — she’d already signed her name and altering the signature would nullify the ticket.
In a statement, New Hampshire lottery Executive Director Charlie McIntyre said the commission consulted with the state’s attorney general’s office and that the Powerball winner must abide by the disclosure laws “like any other.”
“The New Hampshire Lottery understands that winning a $560 million Powerball jackpot is a life-changing occurrence,” the statement said. “Having awarded numerous Powerball jackpots over the years, we also understand that the procedures in place for prize claimants are critically important for the security and integrity of the lottery, our players and our games. While we respect this player’s desire to remain anonymous, state statutes and lottery rules clearly dictate protocols.”
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While I sympathize with her plight if she wants the money then she has to go public. It is in the rules and she knew the rules when she purchased the ticket.
If she does not wish to go public then she should refuse to claim the money, or give the ticket to someone else
What a TERRIBLY BURDONSOME choice.
Turn down all the money, or come out in the light...
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Give it charity Jane DOE, then you'll be a hero and nobody will bother you
IDIOT
Understand not wanting the publicity, but how easy would it be to steal money if winners were not identified ?
Lol yes it's a terrible burden, yet despite that I'm quite certain I know what choice I'd make
I can see and understand her point, but I'm afraid that she is going to lose in court.
We should all have such problems
maybe she just really hates her kids
She may have to move away and hire security, but if she wants to keep her old friends I don't see what the problem would be.
The reason they don't allow it is because A) if the winner wasn't announced, some people would think the Lottery game was running a scam and kept the money for themselves, and B) too many other people would want to remain anonymous too. I would say the vast majority of them would want to remain anonymous.