$14.3 million Hot Lotto prize claim withdrawn

They're already splitting up the money between 15 states who can do with it as they please.

Maybe that's why they won't release the picture of the guy who bought the ticket.

They don't wanna give up the money.

Agreed.  That just leaves............ how do they find the body of the person this was stolen from?

everyone who bought a ticket in that store needs to go and put a claim in

What i would do had I won, is to change my name beofre redeeming the ticket, find an apartment complex that rents month to month, move in, change my address to the new location. Then redeem the ticket. Once the hoopla is over, move out of the apartment, change my name to some other name than my original, and live happily ever after. What's the problem? Sure, it may seem like a hassle, but it's worth it compared to the enormous hassle of dodging  hustlers, hostage takers, and beggers.

Would you change it to a common name like John Smith or something more ethnic like Mike Oxarizin?

savagegoose,

I think you have posted before about the Australian lottery or an Australian lottery where the ticket price is $1.03 AUS, the $.03 takes care of the tax, and that remaining anonymous is no big deal.

Reading these threads about this Iowa Hot Lotto I think every lottery doirector in the US should go to Australia for some intensive training.

   Thats one of the most sensible things I have ever read.

lets think about this...  somebody comes back to the store where they bought the winning ticket, hands it to the guy that works there an says, can u check if this is a winner?... the guy says nah you lost, then he keeps the ticket and tries to claim it thru a blind trust.  want to find the crook behind this mystery, start at the store where the ticket was bought

close, Mike Hunt..

thanks for noticing,

yeah the gov gets its tax and its pre paid, ie from every purchaser, not the winner.

but really although the player has the option of remaining anonymous here, its not from the gov. they still want to know. I imagine the exact same trouble to brew ; as with iowa, here if a blind trust claimed.

We had a case wherea news paper  researched;  read paid someone. to tell them the name of an anonymous claimant of the highest jackpot to date $30 mill.

the guy succsesfully sued the paper for publishing, and got costs associated with moveing and covering his tracks " again ". not american style suing. prob just a small amount.

so yea even tho we have a box to tcik saying NFP,  nor for publication, when you claim a lotto, the gov does know who you are.

Yep, Maybe they could run a computer check to see if the ticket was run thru to see if it was a winner at some point prior to being claimed.

My best guess: the individual who bought the ticket was:

a) not eligible to win (lottery employee or underaged);
b) *thought* they were not eligible to win (felon or immigration status); or
c) was desperate to hide the windfall (child support, tax cheat, etc).

This guy can't be bothered with the publicity and sold the unsigned ticket. Maybe for only few million, but cash under the table. Could there be a black market for the people who buy and sell annuities? Could have even been sold a few times during the year?

Okay, probably a stretch. Shoot some holes in that hypothesis.

ive known a few rich people, and they dont say " i cant be bothered collecting $14M "

theyre tight areses as a general rule. even more tight fisted than poor people.

either its a crim, or someone who will see the money slip thru finger,s ie a bankrupt, . or its stolen.

Agreed! but there are always ways around it

a) If you're an emplyee what about having a trusted Family member do it for you? And the parents can claim for the underaged

b) I think you can claim your prize if you're an illegal immigrant no? With that much money I'm sure you'll be comfortable in whichever country you live

c) C'mon No one walks away from millions of dollars even if you wanted desperately to hide your windfall. I know if loosing my jacpot was at risk, I would have come forward IMMEDIATELY!

gotta admit of this guy worked for the company no wonder it went bankrupt