She had less than $5 cash with her when she filed for bankruptcy two years ago, but Tuesday, a Merritt Island, Florida, woman held a giant novelty check for more than $200 million in lottery winnings.
Federal court documents show Robyn Ann Collier's personal property on April 30, 2012 included $4.73 "cash on hand." In February this year, her boyfriend was laid off from his job at a boat-building company, according to their attorney, David Presnick.
But in March, Collier bought a Mega Millions lottery ticket at a Sunoco gas station on South Courtenay Parkway on Merritt Island, according to a release. She and her boyfriend, Raymond Moyer, had the winning numbers.
"We didn't know we had won until the next morning when the numbers were on the news," Collier said in a release. "I paused the TV and ran to get the ticket to double check the numbers and when I realized they all matched I jumped off the couch in excitement and told Raymond we had won."
"I didn't believe her until I saw the store where we purchased the ticket on the news," Moyer said in a release. "It was definitely a shock, but it is an incredible blessing that will allow us to do many things we would not have had the opportunity to do before."
The Merritt Island winners split the $414 million jackpot with one other winner from Maryland — nobody has claimed that prize yet.
The winnings were awarded in one lump-sum payment: $115,448,968. The money was deposited in the Cobie and Seamus Trust, named after Moyer and Collier's dogs, according to Florida Lottery Spokeswoman Shelly Gerteisen. Moyer and Collier are members of the trust. Gerteisen explained that a trust is not uncommon for winners of large jackpots.
Collier said in a video that she still plans to work. Moyer said they would make investments and go traveling — he wants to take Collier to Ireland.
Now thats wassup!
Very cool! Congrats to them on their big win.
And they are going to go to ND football games! My type of people! We are ND! We are ND!!!!!
What a blessings...I'm happy for them.
I saw that in the news yesterday, too!!! Yeah baby!!! GO IRISH!!!
Nice looking couple. God bless them.
Congrats to them
Congrats May God continue to Bless and Protect you all I'm claiming my Blessing its Coming lol
congratulation Robyn & Raymond
I'm not jealous of them, I am happy for them. That is unusual.
Why is it that nearly every person who wins a huge jackpot say, "I'm going to continue to work"? Is this a required statement to make in public so it would seem you're going to stay grounded? If i take home anything over 5 million, I will never work again! I'll have hobbies but as far as working, nope.
Congrats, this is a great story... I'm leaving my job with a 2 million win
Despite my state of florida not allowing anonimity, isnt there a way for their attorneys to claim this in their names (attorneys) but regardless it goes to the trust the lucky winners established.
Because as we can see the media is already digging into their records, talking about lost jobs, bankruptcy and who knows what else may come up in the near future. No one wants to deal with all that!!
So my question is , is there a way their attorneys can go around this? (loophole i shd say). I know it may cost a lot of money , but its something i would def consider if i won "even' 1M.
she won't continue to work. if she has co-workers they will sneer and ridicule her for keeping a job that someone who really needs it could have. she'll tire of being around working stiffs and they will roll their eyes when the paychecks are handed out and she takes it. ludicrous statement by her to say that she will continue to work, but probably just caught up in the euphoria of it all. life is too short to get up and go to work when you have 100 million dollars to play with. imagine taking orders from a boss that you could buy and sell. maybe she doesn't want to spend 24 hours with him. but she can figure out a way to get around that.
I completely agree, maybe she was caught up in the moment. She needs to think about all the people who would be after that money. Car accident in the parking lot, spilling hot coffee on a co-worker, to much liability for her to keep working.
These are the stories I like to hear, people who actually needed the money. Good for them.
With that much money! I'd be nowhere to be found!
My sister lives about 25 minutes from that store! She had purchase some tickets on that day, but not that store! Hope they will spend it wisely!
Congrats to them!!!
Some people get blessed just at the right time.
wtg winners! The other winner hasn't stepped forward yet. Is that a misplaced or discarded ticket? Or is it someone trying
to figure out how to avoid the media frenzy? I sure wouldn't want my life made public or even any so called friends or family
to know. I have a few people I'd tell and that's it...and that's probably too many.
She should do the right thing and repay her debts from the bankruptcy since she has all this sudden wealth now. NO EXCUSES!
If I win that kind of money I am going to quit in style and do my happy dance out the door in the middle of a shift.
It would be interesting to see what the news reporters and investigators find on me since my life is so boring...lol
I would love to see them try to dig something up.
Must be why my numbers always come close a lot of times, but never wins! lol
I 2nd that Easy- its one of the reasons l returned all the outstanding library books from way back, have no Facebook account either. They probably going to dig anyway- l will hand them a shovel though.
Hahaha be sure to post the video on YouTube if you ever quit like that.
I sure will!
USAMEGA/Lotterypost will get the exculsive video before it goes viral. lol
Hey whats up with the web site ---<snip>.com ??????
Congrats!!
BTW, if she wants to continue to work, she should become her own boss and do something on her own. Much more rewarding and would avoid potential issues with co-workers mentioned above.
where is <snip>.com the web page is down??????
where is _ US_Lotteries_ com
Halfway decent story for once, I however don't care for the consistent florida wins as of late either. I hope they don't waste their money on a stupid bicycle like that one winner did.
Great to see that someone who needed the $dough won. Congratulations to the happy couple.
I really do not care if they spend it wisely since it is their money, not mine. How a person spends their cash should not matter to anyone except if that the source of that money is from taxpayer dollars (i.e. welfare, government workers, etc.). They do not fall into that category, so I say go buy nice cars, nice clothes, nice house; fly first class all over the world and stay in best hotels/villas. Take luxury cruises and go on safaris in different African countries. Visit all of the historic sites around the world. You only live once...spend that money since you cannot take it with you when you die. Otherwise, if they don't spend it and stay parked in one place, their lives will be miserable with all the beggars that will surely come out of the woodwork. SPEND, SPEND, SPEND!!!
How they spend their money is their business- However....How would you feel " if" any winner took on the habit of feeding their nostrils or shooting up a vein...just asking.
Money is an obedient servant... That win is an amazing blessing! It can bless many or destroy however that free will is based on the conciousness of the winners. They choose everyday the life they want to live... just like the power you have in your everyday life. I pray they have the wisdom of great many choices . And the echoes of there positive decisions go on for a very long, generations to come in time.
And the First smart thing for them to do once they decided which way they will take the money...if they are flaky and unstable in general....yearly payments. If you always have a great game plan... lump sum. And quit your job and do something you love and want to do and learn.
However before you decide on this that and the other take a year just to head your head/ life and your trust circle in general and spring board from there and create your new life! Or really enhance the great one you already have;)))!!!
Either way their decisions are their's, and many will try to paw them for it!
With that kind of money I'd buy a half a million dallas island in Fla and stay there eating crustaceans until I grow a hard shell on my body. DISAPPEAR for 6 months or so.
Interesting question. Not asked to me, yet I know that some smaller jackpot winners did such, and I didn't have any feelings about it. After all, it was their life, money, choice, and feelings. I do recall wondering if they enjoyed that drug lifestyle though. The after knowledge gave me some peace in thinking that perhaps any sort of person could win huge amounts of money.
Anyhow, congratulations jackpot winners! I, too, am open to winning a large jackpot and finding additional things to entertain, comfort, and calm me.
Congrats to the lucky winners! Just when it seem all hope was gone, lady luck came knocking on their door!
If the state is not one with an anonymous right to claim or a state that allows you to claim with a trust (with 100% confidentiality....which can vary also), then "loopholes" are not available. Even if their attorney claimed it, they would have to disclose for whom they were claiming it.
Accidents at work and on work property would make the employer the legally responsible party. There also is likely an arbitration in place for all employees also so lawsuits would be very rare.
While that maybe a public statement, one never knows fully the final consequences except the person(s) making it. Maybe by saying they are going to continue to work it means they are volunteering someplace or starting a non profit organization.
I agree with you on hobbies if I won that much. Even hobbies take some effort/work
Might have to start a non profit that I have thought of (while making my current plans after the big win).
Kudos to those folks. I hope they manage their windfall well.
..arbitration agreement...
Exactly! "Continue to work" does not mean they will stay at their current job. Maybe she wants to open a flower shop and employ people. Maybe she wants to open a hobby or craft store. Maybe she wants to create a charity and review/interview applicants to see who benefits from the charity. All require "work". Who knows. There are plenty of things she can do to "continue to work" that don't involve taking a job away from someone who needs the paycheck more than she.
Don't be dissing a jackpot winner because they don't want to sit on their hiney doing nothing productive for the rest of their lives.
Congrats to the winners. May their blessings be used wisely.
I agree with you on the bankruptcy. She filed just two years ago she has a moral responsibility to repay those that were "shafted" by her filing bankruptcy. She needs to make that right and then I will congratulate them on the win. Until that happens I will hold my congratulations.
Lady Luck sometimes does pick the right winners;
When it is your time then and only then is it your time. And in Gods name share and give back.
CONGRADULATIONS AND INVEST WISELY AND ENJOY.
History and many discussions have shown that when Jackpot winners talk about continuing to work, they're talking about keeping their same job. Then reality sets in and they realize that it's not possible. If you want to believe otherwise, that's on you. I just watched her video and she said, "I'm going to try to work, at least for a little while. I'll probably always work, but it'll be different work not my everyday work." Sounds like to me she's going to keep trying to stay on her job for a bit and then make a change to something she likes more if it's not feasible for her to stay. So interpret the way you like. Also, nobody is "dissing" this winner, i'm happy for her. Just the effort of trying to keep the same job, no matter for how long has been shown to be nearly impossible.
I agree, but it's not nearly as bad as when someone on public assistance wins the lottery. I've never had to be on it, but I've been broke before and what little disposable income I had certainly didn't go towards buying lottery tickets. The way I see it, people who do win who are on public assistance are playing with the public's money and should have to pay that money back with interest. I've read about some states seizing the money if the people continue on the dole after winning.
As far as continuing to work: I can see a situation where someone might need another year or two to be fulled vested in their company's pension plan. I agree that it would be hard to continue on with the job, but I also don't think they have a moral responsibility to quit just so someone else could have the position.
The bankruptcy is the past. She evidently adhered to all legal procedures and has been paying the price in regards to credit ratings, non-access to possible loans, etc., the typical ramifications when filing Chapter 11.
The lottery win is the present and the future. The only 'moral' obligation she has in my mind is to re-pay any local small businesses that weren't properly 'taken care of' because of the bankruptcy.
She is not required to pay back any past debt that was part of her bankruptcy filing but she it would go a long way towards clearing her conscious if she did. The old debt most likely amounted to just a fraction of her new net worth.
I agree with you 100%.
Local, sure. The town's heating/cooling outfit that got stiffed on the new furnace financing of five years ago? Cut 'em a check.
That Wells Fargo or Bank of America credit card debt of five grand that was settled Chapter 11? They'll be just fine...
I agree. I think it would go a long way if she showed an effort to handle this.
$115,448,968 lump sum - Uncle Sam's Cut ($45,717,791) nets you------$69,731,177
(Florida has no state income tax-sweeeeet)
To continue to work and stick around for a pension ??....I am thinking, "Hey employer keep the pension, I AM MOBILE".
I will enjoyably spend the 9 MIL and change on houses,family, toys, etc. etc...... Invest the remaining 60 and live off the interest at a modest 3-4% very comfortably.....and gladly repay any debt that I have owed from the past.
But thats just MHO....
With $69 million after all tax obligations, your game plan would most definitely work for 99% of the population.
The winner will enjoy her life even more knowing that all her past obligation/debts were satisfied. I wonder if her and her boyfriend will now get married?
Or die of mercury poisoning
Congrats to them, I always like hearing about poor people who win.
Congrats to the lucky winners.
After taking care of family, friends and local businesses she may owe money to, spending $$$ within her community---helping update/renovate schools, libraries, police/fire stations and equipment, parks, playgrounds, ballfields---is the best way to make her 'conscience' feel better.
Anything else in regards to her Chapter 11 past issues is complete nonsense. That's past history.
why should she if she doesn't want to renovate some florida town to ease her guilt for what? filing bankruptcy? the banks who charge exorbitant interest if you make a late payment or get bailed out by the govt. if they make bad loans don't feel guilty. she probably just began the bankruptcy filing and it probably will be voided and never come to court.
The article didn't mention if she filed for chapter 7 liquidation or chapter 13 reorganization and with less than $5 at the time of her bankruptcy filing, I would venture to guess she did a chapter 7 which I believe can be discharged within 3-6 months. The chapter 13 filing would take years (at least 4-5 years) as it's nothing more than a heavily discounted repayment plan.
They need to relocate to an area where their wealth won't be too obvious. The town they currently live in will broadcast her every step and that in itself will drive anyone crazy.
You missed the point, which was others said on here she'd 'feel better' about her JP win if she took care of past debt obligations (bankruptcy). Which I found ridiculous.
I suggested a better way was to contribute to the improvement of her community, which is something I'd feel very strongly about should I ever get as fortunate and win a JP of comparable size.
For all I care, she can move to Fiji and spend the rest of her existence drinking from coconuts. It's perfectly within her right.
What I don't get is that in FL you don't have to have your photograph taken. So they form a trust ostensibly to obscure their identity and then they allow a pic.....doesn't add up.
Wow. how awesome. i have been praying its me because i need surgery and
georgia hosp wont help. being in pain is not pretty. but im grateful they won. i speak im next in the name of jesus
Congrats to the lucky couple, enjoy your new found wealth.
I agree that it wasn't wise to expose yourself especially since it wasn't required. They need to relocate to a different part of Florida in order to be able to enjoy their newfound wealth in peace.
I wonder what these winners would do without the lottery. I know some who claimed bankruptcy twice and they still have nice cars and buy coffee at DD.
and morals are not always congruent with the law of the federal bankruptcy laws. So Its not your business to dedicate who pays back and who doesn't, unless you are fully responsible for writing and passing the laws thru congress? Are YOU? I doubt it.
Care to share how corporate america is shafted? bank of America and Well fargo sure felt no moral obligation when they filed bankruptcy, what makes one person more morally accountable?
They passed the bankruptcy rules. I doubt they will lose sleep whether you congratulate them or not.
I see them as young enough to make mistakes and wise enough to not.
In case you don't realize that it is not only the "big corporations" or the "big banks" that people file bankruptcy against. They are many small merchants, Doctors, Dentist and Landlords that are deeply hurt when someone files bankruptcy. Many of these who the people have direct contact with and make promises knowing they don't intend to keep those promises but to use their goods and services and then make all their obligations go away. In the past two years I have had 3 separate bankruptcies filed against my company and I have received zero dollars. I know how I would feel if any of them whom I had dealt with for years won the lottery and laughed.
Maybe they won't lose sleep at night but I lose many a nights sleep.