Lost Lotto Loot

Unless you live under a rock, you probably recall the recent Powerball jackpot that totaled around $1.6 billion dollars, to be split between three big winners.  One of those winning tickets originated at a 7-Eleven in our own Chino Hills, California, but to whom that ticket was sold remains a mystery.

Treacherous Trickery in Chino

Right after the numbers were announced, there was the 62-year-old nurse, whose wretched, awful, NOT funny son played a mean trick on her, and convinced her that she had the winning ticket when in fact, she did not.  The nurse’s boss, owner of the Park Avenue Health Care and Wellness Center in Pomona, had purchased some 18,000 tickets for each of his employees.  He called the son’s trickery “despicable,” and in consideration, gave the nurse and her family an all-expense vacation to a destination of their choice.

Since then, no one else has come forward to claim the Chino winnings, but according to some experts, the delay is no surprise.  In fact, the last big California lottery winner took six weeks to come forward and made a big dramatic spectacle of it when he did finally claim his $425 million jackpot.  Susan Bradley, expert and founder of the Sudden Money Institute of Palm Beach, said it can take at least two months to prepare a winner psychologically and emotionally for the fortune and obstacles ahead.

When in Doubt, Sue 'Em!

Today, Los Angeleno Brandy Milliner sued the Lottery Commission, claiming to have purchased a winning ticket for the SuperLotto Plus from a 7-Eleven in Chatsworth.  The jackpot for this case was $63 million, and the deadline to claim it expired today at 5 p.m.  Milliner allegedly sent in the winning ticket within the period and even received a letter from the Lottery Commission congratulating him on the win.  Later, the Commission reneged on the award and claimed the ticket was “too damaged to be reconstructed.”  The Commission has also refused to return the ticket to him, claims Milliner. 

What Happens to Lost Loot?

So, what happens if no one can prove legal claim to lottery winnings?  The money goes into an “unclaimed funds” account that is eventually given to the California Department of Education to help fund schools within the State.   The process is slow, but eventually, many Californian kids will be much better off as a result of the Lost Lotto Loot!