Strangest winner story ever? Lawyer sacrifices $14 million jackpot to prevent lottery from learning the winner's identity
The New York lawyer who tried to redeem a multi-million dollar lottery ticket in Iowa last month — only to have his claim called into question by officials demanding to know who he represented — is giving up the quest for the jackpot.
Crawford Shaw, 76, said on Thursday he was withdrawing his claim to a Hot Lotto ticket worth up to $14.3 million "because I'm not going to argue with the lottery."
Shaw's decision would appear to end what Iowa lottery officials called the strangest jackpot pursuit they had ever experienced.
The winning ticket was turned in December 29, less than two hours before it would have expired a year after the drawing. Iowa Lottery officials tested and validated the ticket, but refused to pay out the winnings until they could verify the purchaser's identity, among other things.
Shaw, who had signed the ticket as a trustee for an entity he called the Hexam Investment Trust, never revealed who was in the trust.
Iowa Lottery officials gave him a deadline: Tell us who you represent by 3 p.m. Friday afternoon or forget about collecting the millions.
In the meantime, the lottery said it had learned that Shaw was "associated with criminal proceedings and bankruptcy filings in New York and Delaware," and officials were investigating.
Shaw is the former chief executive officer of Industrial Enterprises of America Inc., a bankrupt public company that the Manhattan District Attorney's office said was looted in a $100 million securities fraud scheme.
Shaw, who was not charged with criminal wrongdoing, is a defendant in a civil suit by the company. He claims to know nothing about the suit.
In any case, he chose to call it quits on Thursday, telling Reuters he had asked a local law firm to pass along his decision to lottery officials.
A spokeswoman for the lottery said they had not received notice of withdrawal from Shaw as of late Thursday afternoon.
"We are checking with the local counsel," said the spokeswoman, Mary Neubauer.
OMG!!!!! Nobody in their right mind would walk away from millions of dollars. Something very shady is going on. Congrats to the Iowa Lottery!
And now, for something completely different.
That ticket was stolen and the thief's plan to claim the jackpot has been destroyed. The sad part is that the real winner won't be able to enjoy the benefits of winning the jackpot. Everyone should sign and protect their tickets. I'm signing every ticket I purchase from now. Every single one.
My guess is telling who the owner is may have something to do with the bankruptcy. If the owner of the ticket is involved in the bankruptcy it would need to be listed as an asset and he would no doubt lose it all anyhow in bankruptcy proceedings.
Lawyers.
You think the guy would be smart.
He must know somebody in Iowa that he could give the ticket to and then share the jackpot.
All that time holding on to a $14 million dollar lottery ticket.
Don't get it at all!!
If I ran the Iowa Lottery this would not be the end of the story.I'd prosecute Shaw for attempted theft by deception or some such law.I'd put him behind bars at Fort Madison (Iowas maximum security prison).I'd make him wish that he'd never heard of Iowa.
Jarasen,
LOL!!! Only a Monty Python fan could recite that and make it work!! good line!
i would't mind seein some lawyers go to jail.
but some criminals go to jail and come out lawyers.
Well, LP members, this one hurts deeply (when we picture it being taken from our self)!
I think that the Iowa Lottery should put the $14.3M or whatever the monies they get to keep from this jackpot win in their own state for a special raffle with several BIG multi-million $ first, second, and third place jackpots. Otherwise, it just looks bad on the multi-state run Hot Lotto and Iowa Lottery Headquarters.
What do you folks think and feel about this deflating/bummer end result of no jackpot winners among Hot Lotto's and Iowa Lottery's wistful players?
I do love that Monty Python crew. Watched it on channel 20 10PM.....and of course the movies.
This turn of events is just that, a plot twister, another book, very confounding!
I like this scene so very much. "Allo who ease it???????????"
I agree, JAP. Somebody was probably trying to hide it from his creditors and now realizes he won't be able to, so he'd rather give it up than give them the satisfaction of taking it from him.
"Just pay it!", how many on here said of Iowa Lotto?
They might as well pay it if they're not going to give the people who built that pot another chance to win it.
Why should Iowa get to keep it?