A $560 million lotto jackpot winner is suing lottery officials in New Hampshire so she can remain anonymous and still keep her cash. Lottery rules there say all winners will be made public and the woman had already signed her name on the back of her winning ticket as required.
Now what, asked the San Francisco Chronicle?
The woman, who won the Powerball jackpot last month, filed a civil complaint against the New Hampshire Lottery Commission in state court on Jan. 29, The Boston Globe reported.
The court document, which identifies the woman only as Jane Doe, states that she values her privacy and wanted to support charitable causes without having her identity thrown into the limelight.
New Hampshire Lottery Commission rules require that winners write their actual name on the back of their winning ticket before they can claim their prize, NewHampshire.com reported, which is what the woman did in a desperate move to secure her earnings.
Only after she handed it in did an attorney advise her to create a trust to collect her earnings anonymously but, because she had already signed her ticket, the woman’s options are limited, Courthouse News reported.
The commission has since consulted with the state's attorney general's office and reported that the woman will be required to abide by the disclosure laws.
The New Hampshire lottery executive director, Charlie McIntyre, acknowledged that winning the Powerball jackpot could be a life-changing event.
“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,” he said, per the Chronicle.
“While we respect this player's desire to remain anonymous, state statutes and lottery rules clearly dictate protocols.”
The woman’s concerns regarding her anonymity aren’t unfounded.
The complaint filed references an incident in which 2009 Florida lottery winner, Abraham Shakespeare, was murdered for his $30 million, ABC News reported.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.