The children of an illiterate Massachusetts man who became an overnight lottery millionaire will get to share in their inheritance, thanks to a judge who has seen to it their high-rolling cousin's luck has run out.
Before his death from heart disease on Jan. 22, 2001, at age 42, Rusty Thompson, who had two daughters by an ex-wife and a son by a fiancee, asked his nephew, Rocky Jace, to make sure his two families were taken care of with the windfall from the Instant Millions scratch ticket he had hit for $1 million a few months earlier.
Unemployed and uneducated, Thompson asked Jace, 33, to sign for the jackpot - to be paid out over 20 years in annual installments of $33,500. Instead, Jace blew through all but $4,000 of the second installment on Lottery tickets and gambling at Foxwoods Casino, according to Superior Court Judge Nonnie Burnes. She has ordered a trust be set up for Thompson's heirs so his wishes will be honored.
"These children are hopefully going to have a better life," said Paul Gannon, a lawyer representing their mothers.
Jim Acton of the Lottery Commission said winners should sign tickets themselves. Sudden wealth is "a pretty overwhelming thing for people," he said. "You just hope they make the right decisions."
trust no one.......................
That was just wrong!!! He should be made to return every red cent!!!
Boy a million dollars when seen as 33,500 a year for 20 years is nothing. Life wont be that much better when that is split a few ways. Cash only is right!
Oh, I don't know. This is income for those children. They will get an education, food, clothes, shelter. More than their father and more than I really had. If they apply themselves they should be okay.
Give nephew Rocky Jace the Shame-On-You Award!
Oh, I don't know. This is income for those children. They will get an education, food, clothes, shelter. More than their father and more than I really had. If they apply themselves they should be okay.
The news article isnt very clear on the one concept. I thought that "He/she who signs is technically the claimant" and therefore gets the winnings.
With that said, Im glad to see that a judge has ruled for the family. They each loss more then money can ever make up for...
I second the shame on you award for the nephew!
I think the judge did the family a big favor here. I agree the nephew is a s***bag, but I think he was legally able to claim the money and act as if it was his own. Unless the father had some legal document drawn up stating his nephew was in only to be in charge of dispersing the money, I believe he gave that money away to his nephew. If he was in bad health, he wouldn't have needed to go to a lottery office to claim the money. He could have claimed it himself and done it by mail and drawn up a quick and simple will stating where the money should go. Shame on the nephew though.
One more thing: I agree, trust no one!!!!
That was just wrong!!! He should be made to return every red cent!!!