A group of 16 workers at a Manhattan biotech company who pooled their cash to buy Mega Millions tickets have claimed a $58 million jackpot from the March 24 drawing.
The ceremonial prize check was presented to the group Thursday at the store where they bought the winning Quick Pick Millions ticket: Carlton Cards in Penn Plaza.
The lucky winners said it took a few hours of checking, double-checking, and triple-checking their tickets before they believed their fantastic fortune.
The 16 include residents of the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan, as well as workers from New Jersey and California. They will split a ?lump-sum cash payment of $38,334,435, with each winner receiving $1.65 million after taxes, according to state lottery officials.
"We went from one person's computer to another's checking each person's scan of the ticket because we wanted to be absolutely sure," recalled Evelyn Harrison, chief operating officer of Opthotech Corporation in Penn Plaza, where workers have been playing the lottery together since 2010.
Each week, the pool members would chip in $4 and take turns purchasing a set of multistate lottery tickets, using a different store each week.
This time, the "Lucky 16 Trust," as they're calling themselves, did their purchasing on March 24 at Carlton Cards, just two levels down and around the corner from their Penn Plaza offices.
"There was a lot of buzz around the office following the drawing as everyone learned the jackpot winner was sold in our building," Harrison said. "A few of us decided we should probably check our numbers."
But the proof on the first few computer screens didn't stop them from checking the winning numbers back and forth, computer to computer, out of disbelief, Harrison said.
"Once we were convinced, we sent an email to everyone else to tell them to check out the winning numbers for themselves," she remembered.
"As you can imagine, we were all in a little bit of disbelief," added winner Kevin Berth of Hainesport, N.J. "Not everyone was in the office at the same time, so it took a little while for everyone to get the news."
When all doubt was finally dispelled, the Lucky 16 Trust met in a conference room to let the news sink in — and do some jumping around.
"There was a lot of energy in that room," said another winner, Opthotech employee Matthew Jung of Edgewater, N.J.
"We told ourselves to focus on work like nothing had happened. But something did happen," Jung said. "And, to be honest, we didn't accomplish a lot that day."
The winners' plans for the money range from paying off school loans and mortgages to investing for retirement.
The group has pledged to look out for one another, Harrison said.
"We're a small group," she said. "We ground each other. We won't let anyone get carried away."
Carlton Cards — which sold a $1 million Powerball jackpot ticket in 2010 — will get a $10,000 bonus for selling the winning Mega Millions winning ticket, according to lottery spokeswoman Carolyn Hapeman.
"I am happy that somebody won the ticket," store manager Jay Patel, 69, of East Brunswick, said Thursday.
"And I heard that there are more than one [winner] and that's very good, too! We have lots of winners every month in this store. I think it's a lucky store!" he laughed.
The store on the bottom floor of the busy transit hub has become the unofficial Lottery gaming center of New York; more Lottery tickets have been sold there than at any other location in the state, records show.
Carlton Cards is decorated with signs proclaiming big Lottery wins — including two $1 million jackpots — at the shop. Now the store will be adding a sign for a $58 million lottery jackpot win.
The winning numbers were 2, 23, 32, 45, and 55, with Mega Ball number 12.
The sixteen winners are:
- Walesca Ayala of the Bronx, N.Y.
- William Barber of Hackensack, N.J.
- Kevin Berth of Hainesport, N.J.
- Desiree Beutelspacher fo Venice, Calif.
- Valerie Chiong of Union City, N.J.
- Sonia Cruz of the Bronx, N.Y.
- Janice Graboso of New Brunswick, N.J.
- Evelyn Harrison of West New York, N.J.
- Matthew Jung of Edgewater, N.J.
- Natasha Malik of Long Island City, N.Y.
- Harvey Masonson of Accord, N.Y.
- Natasha Moore of Brooklyn, N.Y.
- Yordak Salermo of Manhattan, N.Y.
- Samantha Scroxton of Jersey City
- Denise Teuber of Manhattan, N.Y.
- Lillian Vazquez of Jersey City, N.J.
(Click to display full-size in gallery)
This is great--a group of co-workers sharing the win! Congratulations to you all. :)
Congrats to the lucky Prize Pool Players and your good fortune. (c8
Each week, the pool members would chip in $4 and take turns purchasing a set of multistate lottery tickets, using a different store each week
32 tickets per draw. Nice! I wonder if there were some coworkers who dropped out of the pool after months of nothing but losers. *shudders*
Congrats to the lucky group!
It's been awhile since a Pool claimed the Top Prize. Congratulations. .
Congrats to the Lucky 16 Trust. Hmm, I wonder why they are hiding under glasses and or hats. Could it be because deep inside, they don't want any publicity?.
Congrats to the lucky 16 winners.
Might they be LP players since they seem to like the idea of wearing hats and glasses as a disguise?
Great to see 8 winners from NJ here as well, not to mention Jay Patel from East Brunswick NJ who is the manager at Carlton Cards.
The pool was a good size, the $4.00 price kept the cheap skates out, and different people bought the tickets week from week. Lots of participation from the members.
Sure do miss those lottery pools at work.
Is Carlton Cards one of those famed and somewhat criticized stores? Or was that another store in Penn Station?
I see the hats and glasses and drab clothing make for nice disguises, my favorite is the lady to the right second row withe the ginormous Kentucky Derby hat.
group of 16 seemed pretty jovial even though they only won 1.65 m each. an amount that most on here sneer at. most wouldn't even play for an amount that low. it just shows you can't sit around and wait for the 200 million or more jackpots to grow before you play. there are only 104 drawings a year and given the average age of lottery players you can't afford to miss even one. totally against pools as nothing but problems permeate from them. this group seems to have a good grip though. can't image production at the workplace is going to go up as incentive will wane if they stay. of course they will because 1.65 million just doesn't go very far these days.
"The 16 include residents of the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan, as well as workers from New Jersey and California."
Well that should throw some here into a hissy fit!
Congrats to them
Congratulations to the Lucky 16! Have fun and enjoy! Next time I am in New York I think I shall purchase my tickets at Carlton Cards in Penn Station!
Congratulations!
I can't wait for bio- printing!
Congrats to those Lucky winners.
Congrats to all the winners,can,t help but notice that beautiful fine one,in the blue dress.
I think its all fake........
Their hiding because their names were published and they'll soon be receiving magic jack calls from around the world. The ones standing in the back were smart.
"each winner receiving $1.65 million after taxes"
That amount invested in VWEAX would yield around $92,000 before-tax annual dividends . . very nice supplemental income!
LOL!!!
Sad to say that right after I thought "what a great story" I then thought, please don't let any of the non-playing coworkers sue them for their winnings, as so often happens in cases like this.
It could well be that these people were told where to stand.That female on the left works out, notice the stance- could probably threw a guy under 100 lbs across the room if called for, don't mess with her.The standard bearer of this unit, the guy with Inspector Closeau hat doesn't give a crap whether people make him out or not..Probably has a " Beware of the Dogs" sign on his fence to begin with.
Judging from the photograph, it seems many winners don't like having their identities revealed.
If you live in New York, please contact your Governor and local representative and point out how dangerous it is for lottery winners to be required to have their identities published.
It is time all state lotteries allowed winners to remain anonymous, as is the cas is the case in Australia and the UK.
Usually the ones who dishonestly want a share sue before the group goes to claim. It's a little late to sue now, IMHO
Nope, not too late. I remember one coworker sued well after the money was distributed to the winners.
If I can get that every week, you would not hear me complain.
Yay for office lottery pools. Congrats to the group. Still prefer a single winner just to make the "that's-too-much-for-one-person" crowd whine and cry.
Our own office lottery pool has been inactive as we only play at $100m cash option or more.
Hey Piaceri
It's time for a TEXAS winner!
I am always glad to see Yolanda Vega who is the woman in the printed floral dress holding the check. She is the Lottery employee. I love her New York accent and how she shouts out her name. She is definitely an asset to New York Lottery and New York.
They should put her in the ring tonight. She could beat both of them without chiping a nail.
Yes, Piaceri, I agree, with your thoughts! LOL.
Of course, when one's "lottery group" decides to take the 'we're gambling each week route' it becomes necessary to have a small group. I would bet that lots of these winners have probably been thinking: "Darn!, if we had limited our lottery pool/group to 8 players, we each would have been able to retire from full-time work employment within 45 days -- once electronic transfer of monies received -- and live a rather joyful and comfortable lifestyle until 100 years of age."
Plus, music*, Yolanda Vega always conveys that she is vicariously as thrilled as her NY Lottery Headquarter's most recent big jackpot winner; and the financial freedom that these, frequent NY big prizes will be enabling!
Yolanda also presents herself as though she is stifling jumping up and down in absolute delight! She's probably an innately personable, interesting, and joyful individual.
Congratulations to the winners.
Remain anonymous if your state rules permit it.
Once people know you’re suddenly wealthy, you’ll be badgered by requests for handouts from everyone from charities to long-lost friends and relatives–not to mention all the financial “experts” who will be vying for your business. So check state rules to see whether you can dodge them all by remaining anonymous.
Although Mega Millions is a national lottery, rules on winner publicity vary by state. In New York, for example, winners’ names are a public record. Elsewhere it may be possible to maintain your anonymity by setting up a trust or limited liability company to receive the winnings.
Depending on where you bought the ticket, prize winners have between 180 days and one year from the date of the drawing to claim their prize. So find out what the state rules are and plot a course.
All cash prizes won in Ireland's National Lottery games are paid as tax-free lump sums.
All prizes in Lotto, EuroMillions, and Daily Million games must be claimed within 90 days of the applicable drawing dates.
No minor under the age of 18 may purchase tickets for or claim prizes in any National Lottery game. Winners have the right to remain anonymous.
Congratulations to everyone. God bless
You could very well be right RedStang- From what I read, the fight was Glorified Sparring.
As much as I like boxing and wanted to watch that fight, there was no way I was going to pay Comcast $100 for the fight. 1 fight?! Gtfoh Comcast
Interesting information about this JP and the 16 winners:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/robertwood/2015/05/03/sixteen-lucky-lottery-winners-won-58-million-cleverly-missing-tax-mess-too/
Yeah....for all the discussions here about pools and trusts and taxes people who want to form them should really read the info on that link.
Yo, CoinToss,
Yea, I was about to have a fit that the 1/2 of em that are from Jersey would be from Essex, Hudson and Bergen counties,
but no...1 is from New Brunswick and 1 is...gasp...from Hainesport (south of Trenton.