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Ohio Mega Millions lottery winner claims prize anonymously
Mega Millions: Ohio Mega Millions lottery winner claims prize anonymously
The owner of a winning Mega Millions ticket claimed their prize Friday.
But the identity of the winner won't be made public after two attorneys claimed the prize on behalf of a blind trust — which Ohio law allows.
Chillicothe attorney Deborah Barrington and Columbus attorney Ronald Rowland, cotrustees of The Ross County Beneficiary Trust, claimed the $75.6 million prize for the winner at the Ohio Lottery's offices in Cleveland.
The winner had 180 days in which to claim the prize, but waited less than a month from the May 1 drawing.
The holder of the Chillicothe ticket chose the cash option, valued at $46.9 million before federal and state taxes. After taxes, the winner will receive about $32.4 million.
The ticket was sold at Shawnee Lanes in Chillicothe, which earned a $75,000 bonus for selling the ticket.
Owner Walter Highland said he still doesn't know who bought the ticket.
"At least we know someone got the money; I'm glad they came forward," Highland said. "They're smart to do that (remain anonymous); it's their privilege, and I'd probably do the same thing."
The $75.6 million prize was the Ohio share of the $227 million Mega Millions Jackpot drawing on May 1. Other winning tickets sold in Virginia and California already have been claimed.
According to the Ohio Lottery, the Chillicothe winner was Ohio's fourth Mega Millions winner since May 2008.
Chillicothe Gazette, Lottery Post Staff
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18 comments. Last comment 5 months ago by .
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United States
Member #59008
February 18, 2008
710 Posts
Offline
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| Posted: June 1, 2009, 9:24 am - IP Logged |
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The owner of a winning Mega Millions ticket claimed their prize Friday.
But the identity of the winner won't be made public after two attorneys claimed the prize on behalf of a blind trust — which Ohio law allows.
Chillicothe attorney Deborah Barrington and Columbus attorney Ronald Rowland, cotrustees of The Ross County Beneficiary Trust, claimed the $75.6 million prize for the winner at the Ohio Lottery's offices in Cleveland.
The winner had 180 days in which to claim the prize, but waited less than a month from the May 1 drawing.
The holder of the Chillicothe ticket chose the cash option, valued at $46.9 million before federal and state taxes. After taxes, the winner will receive about $32.4 million.
The ticket was sold at Shawnee Lanes in Chillicothe, which earned a $75,000 bonus for selling the ticket.
Owner Walter Highland said he still doesn't know who bought the ticket.
"At least we know someone got the money; I'm glad they came forward," Highland said. "They're smart to do that (remain anonymous); it's their privilege, and I'd probably do the same thing."
The $75.6 million prize was the Ohio share of the $227 million Mega Millions Jackpot drawing on May 1. Other winning tickets sold in Virginia and California already have been claimed.
According to the Ohio Lottery, the Chillicothe winner was Ohio's fourth Mega Millions winner since May 2008. Very smart to remain anonymous.I would do the same if allowed to.
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United States Member #4194 March 23, 2004 720 Posts Offline |
| Posted: June 1, 2009, 10:15 am - IP Logged |
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WTG! Smart winner! Make your dreams come true.
Sadly not all states give that option.
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United States Member #52818 May 21, 2007 383 Posts Offline |
| Posted: June 1, 2009, 10:20 am - IP Logged |
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Very smart to remain anonymous.I would do the same if allowed to.  
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United States Member #28776 December 15, 2005 1170 Posts Offline |
| Posted: June 1, 2009, 2:41 pm - IP Logged |
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Other than remaining anonymous, what are some other benefits of forming a blind trust?
"By and by God caught his eye." David McCord
(12/15/1897 – 04/13/1997) US writer , epitaph for a waiter
"The vote, I thought, means nothing to women. We should be armed." Edna O'Brien
(12/15/1930 – ) Irish writer
"If you can count your money, you don't have a billion dollars." J. Paul Getty
(12/15/1892 – 06/06/1976) US zillionaire
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Espanola NM United States Member #73231 March 25, 2009 132 Posts Offline |
| Posted: June 1, 2009, 4:31 pm - IP Logged |
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I think a blind trust also helps/protects the individual from lawsuits. Usually when someone becomes rich....there are a few folks out there that will try to extort money. They might fight you, stage an accident, or cause some sort of liability. By puting the money in a trust....it kinda insulates the money and leaves it untouchable by predators.
I am sure there other benefits but that is one that comes to mind.
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United States Member #3864 February 21, 2004 44 Posts Offline |
| Posted: June 1, 2009, 4:49 pm - IP Logged |
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ohio again...hmmm they sure win a lot.
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Massachusetts United States Member #37842 April 14, 2006 121 Posts Offline |
| Posted: June 1, 2009, 5:40 pm - IP Logged |
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Massachusetts lottery would never allow the blind trust thing. They consider it their braggin rights and have a law to that. They would never miss on a chance to splash the winners pictures on their website.
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Idaho United States Member #56982 November 21, 2007 3187 Posts Offline |
| Posted: June 1, 2009, 6:36 pm - IP Logged |
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Massachusetts lottery would never allow the blind trust thing. They consider it their braggin rights and have a law to that. They would never miss on a chance to splash the winners pictures on their website. I was thinking the same thing. Not all states allow you to claim your ticket with a blind trust. Some states, want to show everyone that the games are legit and that people do win. "No one remembers the person who almost climbed the mountain, only the person who eventually gets to the top."
ThatScaryChick
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United States Member #12104 February 26, 2005 29 Posts Offline |
| Posted: June 3, 2009, 10:08 pm - IP Logged |
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I was thinking the same thing. Not all states allow you to claim your ticket with a blind trust. Some states, want to show everyone that the games are legit and that people do win. And I was thinking it was time to ask Todd to include a new aspect to the site that addresses just this subject, just as I encouraged him to tell us when the super jackpot games reached each state: http://www.usamega.com/powerball-wheretoplay.htm .
Incidentally, my opinion is that winners should be allowed to be anonymous.
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North Carolina United States Member #65081 September 1, 2008 70 Posts Offline |
| Posted: June 4, 2009, 2:44 pm - IP Logged |
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From what I've heard about Blind Trusts, they're not all that great, but, to me, seemed best if it was your only option to remain anonymous.
But I could have misunderstood.
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Ohio United States Member #68898 December 20, 2008 67 Posts Offline |
| Posted: June 4, 2009, 4:22 pm - IP Logged |
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From what I've heard about Blind Trusts, they're not all that great, but, to me, seemed best if it was your only option to remain anonymous.
But I could have misunderstood. What makes them not o great?
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United States Member #28776 December 15, 2005 1170 Posts Offline |
| Posted: June 5, 2009, 12:01 pm - IP Logged |
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I googled the blind trust thing.
Not for me. With a blind trust, you have no say so over the business end of the money so you don't have any way of getting any personal gain from it. Excuse me, isn't that the point?
I want to have total control over my money. So I guess when I win, it's all out in the open! I'll be free to rub some people's faces in it. You know the ones I'm talking about.
The ones who say things like, "You can't beat the lottery." I'm not trying to "beat it," I'm trying to get rich! This one came from my dad.
Things like, "You will NEVER win!" Why not? I have just as good a chance, if not better than, you because I actually study the game. The woman who had the nerve to tell me this was a clerk working the lottery terminals at a family owned 7-11 store and thought Powerball was only played in KY. LOL!!!!!! And was my mother in law!
Things like, "You just keep dreamin' hon," rolling their eyes at me. That would be my husband.
Yes, it will be very nice.
"By and by God caught his eye." David McCord
(12/15/1897 – 04/13/1997) US writer , epitaph for a waiter
"The vote, I thought, means nothing to women. We should be armed." Edna O'Brien
(12/15/1930 – ) Irish writer
"If you can count your money, you don't have a billion dollars." J. Paul Getty
(12/15/1892 – 06/06/1976) US zillionaire
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Espanola NM United States Member #73231 March 25, 2009 132 Posts Offline |
| Posted: June 5, 2009, 5:03 pm - IP Logged |
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When it comes to blind trust the pain in the rear part is all of the legal/paperwork. It is a legal way of staying anonymous since the trust is claiming the ticket not the individual. Thus only the name of the trust is revealed and not the name of the actual player that played the ticket.
I think a blind trust requires a seperate TIN(Tax-ID #). As long as you name yourself as trustee....I think you can distribute funds from the trust as you wish.
Most people also like trusts since they are protected from estate taxes at death. Since trusts are like companies/LLCs that are perpetual. I could be mistaken though
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Australia Member #37542 April 11, 2006 413 Posts Offline |
| Posted: June 6, 2009, 6:26 am - IP Logged |
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wow 2 lawyers even, man this winner is taking no chances.
as the the blind trust, you are still the beneficiary, or you and family members the sole point of the trust is to deliver benefit to the beneficaries. i look at all lotteries as a 50-50 chance,
either i win or i don't
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