Lottery winner of $560m made a ‘huge mistake’
A New Hampshire woman who bought a Powerball lottery ticket worth $560 million last month is fighting to remain anonymous, saying in a lawsuit that releasing her name would “constitute a significant invasion of her privacy.”
The New Hampshire woman who bought a Powerball ticket worth $560 million last month filed a lawsuit against the New Hampshire Lottery Commission in order to stay anonymous, saying that releasing her name would be a significant invasion of privacy.
The woman filed suit against the New Hampshire Lottery Commission under the pseudonym Jane Doe. She says she made a “huge mistake” when she signed her real name on the back of the ticket before contacting a lawyer. The lawyer told her she could have remained anonymous had she established a trust.
I made a huge mistake sharing my name
The lawsuit, filed last week, describes the woman as an “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. It adds that she plans on remaining in New Hampshire and giving back “to the state and community that has given so much to her.”
The woman is represented by the law firm of Shaheen and Gordon. William Shaheen wrote a blogpost Jan. 8, two days after the drawing, that shines a spotlight on the difficulties the lawsuit might face.
“Don’t sign that back of the ticket because if you sign it you lost confidentiality,” he says. “It becomes public, and you lost the option of staying anonymous.”
The woman has not yet claimed the prize. Furthermore, the lawsuit says the fight for her anonymity is costing her a fortune in interest.
McIntyre said he understands the winner’s desire to keep her name out of the media. He said, “the lottery must proceed in accordance its rules”.
