$559 million lottery winner is losing $14,000 per day

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$559 million lottery winner is losing $14,000 per day

New Hampshire - She woman hasn't turned in her ticket yet, but she showed lottery officials a photocopy of the front.

By AP/ Web Report

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Published: Sun 11 Feb 2018, 12:16 PM

Last updated: Sun 11 Feb 2018, 3:17 PM

The winner of $559 million (Dh2.05 billion) jackpot who wished to stay anonymous is losing $14,000 of her prize per day as she waits for the court decision.
The woman, identified as Jane Doe, filed a complaint last week in Hillsborough Superior Court in Nashua saying she signed the back of the ticket following the Jan. 6 drawing, the nation's eighth-largest lottery jackpot. She thought she was required to do so as directed by information on the state lottery commission's website. 
Under New Hampshire law, a lottery winner's name, town and prize amount are public information. But after the woman contacted a lawyer, she learned that she could have shielded her identity by instead writing the name of a trust.
The woman hasn't turned in her ticket yet, but she showed lottery officials a photocopy of the front. She said lottery officials told her they would be compelled to disclose her identity if someone filed a Right to Know request. Her lawyers argue her privacy interest outweighs the insignificant public interest in disclosing her name.
"While we respect this player's desire to remain anonymous, state statutes and lottery rules clearly dictate protocols," New Hampshire Lottery Executive Director Charlie McIntyre said in a statement. Lottery officials consulted with state lawyers and said they must process the winning ticket "like any other," he said.
The woman described herself as a life-long New Hampshire resident and "engaged community member."
"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," the complaint said. "She wishes to remain in New Hampshire and give back to the state and community that has given so much to her."
The filing says she has set up a trust and plans to contribute a portion of her winnings to charity.
 "Time is of the essence in this matter. For every day that a resolution is delayed, Ms. Doe loses approximately $14,000 that would be generated in interest on the after-tax cash prize amount of approximately $268 million,' her attorney Steven Gordon said according to Union Leader
 "Regardless of whether the court ultimately decides in her favor, Ms. Doe has a strong interest in seeing this matter resolved as quickly as possible so that the prize can be claimed without further loss of interest," Gordon added.


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