A former beauty queen whose husband has kept about $600,000 in lottery winnings from her says she has a number for him: half. And Donna Campbell is suing her husband in her attempt to get it.
But American Airlines mechanic Arnim Ramdass disappeared after his wife confronted him about the secret, so process servers haven't been able to hand him the lawsuit papers yet, Campbell's attorney said.
"Here's a guy who for years has spent marital money on the lottery and at casinos, and he's always lost," Bruce Baldwin said. "And now he finally wins, and he's trying to keep it from his wife. That's pretty low."
Campbell, Ramdass' wife since 2005 and girlfriend for five years before that, said she suspected he was hiding something when he disconnected their phone and kept their television off. A postcard offering congratulations on a new house purchase was her final clue.
So Campbell did an Internet search on "Ramdass" and "lotto" and saw a news release from the Florida Lottery about a pool of 17 airline mechanics who won the $19 million jackpot on June 20.
"I said, 'Do you have any news you want to share with me,'" Campbell recalled telling her husband. "He said, 'No. What are you talking about?' I said, 'The lottery.'"
Ramdass told her he had bought the ticket for his daughter from another marriage, but Campbell didn't believe it.
"He had been buying those tickets for years, and he never, ever said one of them was for her," Campbell said. Ramdass and his co-workers have for years pooled their money every Wednesday and Friday for Lotto tickets, Campbell said.
The group opted for the lump-sum payment of $10.2 million, so each got about $600,000 before taxes.
An American Airlines official declined to comment on Ramdass' job status, citing employee privacy, but his co-workers said he has taken a leave of absence.
"Right now, all I want is justice," Campbell said. "With time, I will file for divorce."
wow. this is total deception. I was not aware that someone's job status is a privacy issue. Something tells me there is a girlfirend/mistress somewhere. The fact that he won on june 20th and she just now found out tells me that they are not sleeping in the same bed.
A man came along and hit big several times on the machine i had moved from and he told me what i had done wrong. He got his money and put it in his wallet. Then his wife came along minutes later and asked him how he had done - he lied - and said not good. I thought "how deceitful."
Looks like RAMD - ASS is about to get "rammed" big time!
"Ah, yes, 'divorce'. From the Latin for 'having your genitals torn off through your wallet'." — Robin Williams.
Campbell, Ramdass' wife since 2005 and girlfriend for five years before that, said she suspected he was hiding something when he disconnected their phone and kept their television off. A postcard offering congratulations on a new house purchase was her final clue.
Ya think??
"and he's always lost"
If he is this deceptive, it's possible he won a little money in the past, but didn't tell her about it.
John, I've seen the "In The Actor's Studio" interview with Robin Williams at least 3 times and I crack up every time, especially when he did improv. I think that's where I heard him say the line you quoted. He is so gifted.
In this case, whether or not they were married 2 years or 20 years, 1/2 of the money belongs to her. I'm sure if she won, he'd want half of her winnings. If they were legally divorced at the time of his good fortune, it would be entirely different, especially if they don't have children.
We don't know the entire story here. Although legally the money is also hers, it's possible they were already planning to break up, so he is resentful and doesn't want her to get his money because of a technicality. I hate to admit I would agree with him in that case, but rules are rules and the law can't be based on what might or might not happen in the future.
Sounds like bad karma is about to bite him in his RAMDass !!! I hope she gets all that Uncle Sam hasn't already gotten.
can i just point out one way of looken at this situation....she is a FORMER beauty queen wich means she most likely didn't work much if at all ...there is always 2 sides to a story that man most likely have a very good reason to hide it from her he knows her better then we do and knows she is all about the money reason he didn't speak on it is because he was going to get out of that marrige and that money gave him a door way to get out say what you want but i think ms queen is all about the mighty dollar and thats all she cares about
Whoa!!! What a stereotype. If she was a golddigger, why did she marry an airline mechanic in the first place? I'm sure they make really good money, but how do you know she didn't support him while he got certified for his job or what she brought into the marriage? Saying a forme beauty queen didn't work much is silly. My high school math teacher was a Miss America finalist.
My earlier post said that I probably wouldn't blame him for being upset if they were about to divorce and it was just bad timing, but he's still breaking the law. If he filed for divorce or sought the help of a divorce attorney or they got marriage counseling, there would be a record somewhere. Still, they're legally married. If the courts start fighting over who was thinking about leaving his wife one day or who can't stand his wife any more or who feels he got bamboozled, every man in America could use that excuse!
If a spouse stayed at home and did not generate formal earnings as we know them (a paycheck), there is still value in that job that he or she performed. Like it or not, that job is recognized by the courts.
No matter how many sides he has to his story, Ramd-ass did not have the right to take 100% of the money and walk away with it. Which ever way you slice it and dice it, she is entitled to her fair share...
Whilst what he did wasnt truthful, Him leaving her isnt illegal. Nor is him keeping the winnings illegal. Site the law chapter and verse that contends such . Keep in mind they were married a short time .The Federal tax will decide who is the owner of the funds and I doubt the wife will want to pay that out. Her best bet is to remove herself from the fiasco. It wasnt her luck that was changed by good fortune and I am a believer, married or not, that as an ADULT its that persons' money. Far too many women still live by the dependent addage that what is his is hers and what is hers remains hers.
She is welcome to create a lawsuit but I dont see her winning this battle after law fees and taxes.
Hope she gets the money, and some.
Florida is not a community property state, I don't think. However, I would argue that she has a share under principles of equity or joint venture or partnership.
In addition, I would argue that she's entitled to ALL of the proceeds considering the husband intended to defraud her of her share and in fact absconded with all the money. That is fraud.
Pay the lady!
half of $600Grand it nothing to get up in tight about.. I would say, "Don't let the door hit you in your Dumbass when you leave."
i think if this guy is not sharing his winnings..says alot about how he feels about his wife...she should have her cut of the winnings...if it were reversed im sure his lawyer would be in court...at least shes not serving him with divorce papers yet!!!!! ( i would)
If I read correctly they are still married. How is she entitled to half. If I win a $10 scratch off is half of it my wifes? Granted 600k is much more, but because they are married and he did not share it with her, that is not illegal but merely something different. Now on the otherhand, if she files for divorce, she really can't go after half of the winnings. She may be able to go after half of their assets (or cash left) but that is about it. He could spend most of it before the divorce, I don't think there is much that can be done. Sad story, but we don't know most of it.
HELLO!
My girlfriend & I have been together for about 14 years. We both make about the same amount of $$. We own our home.She pays for her own bills & some utilitys, I pay the house payment & some utilitys & my own bills. We both have a budget & some spending money each week. If she spends her spending money on flowers & has no return on her investment & I spend my spending money on the lotto & win millions, why should I give her half the money?? It is not my fault she did not play the lotto!!
I hope the guy wins the case, if she has nothing in writing that say they will split all winning & she knows he has been playing for years, then I would vote for the guy to keep the cash!
With that said, If I won, even enough one of use could quit working, but not enough for both of use to quit, my girlfriend would never need to work agian! I like my job! & the Employee's that work for me are fun to work with!
"Right now, all I want is justice," Campbell said. "With time, I will file for divorce."
You read it correctly and when she does file and is granted a divorce, the $600,000 will probably be included as marital assets along with any assets she may have. This is one of those "scratch our heads" stories because I've never heard of any law that requires spouses to divide their money equally while they are still married.
Lets reverse the scenario, The guy blows his money on poor investments, As a married couple, is she responsible for any part of that bad investment? Nope! Without her signature and willingness to back up the investment with collateral she isnt accountable.
As someone said, we dont know their marital bliss or lack of. And yes 600,000$ is NOT enough after the lawyer gets his cut, uncle sam gets his, and the woman is left with little dignity.
Others pointed out the weakness in this ladies case .
The guy didnt defraud his wife. He would have had to have taken something that PREVIOUSLY was entitled to her to be claimed such. She was NOT listed on the claims form. Case dismissed! Next !
Quite often folks lose sight of the fact that marriage is a union between two people that carries a legal status with personal and financial obligations. Once the union is formed, the law holds both parties to those obligations via some type of domestic relations law(s). Not only are those obligations relevant during the marriage but also after separation and divorce. When someone tries to shirk his/her legal responsibility to the marriage, the courts have to often step in to determine the extent of those obligations and enforce them where applicable.
It is surprising how many people enter lightly into marriage without fully understanding what their legal responsibilities are to the union. With that being the case, lots of them don't even know their own rights. Folks tend to make their own rules up as they go along to satisfy their desires without consideration of their spouse. Marriage can and should be enjoyable and rewarding however one should not lose sight of the fact that it is also a legal contract that carries a huge responsibility.
It will be interesting to see what the outcome of this situation will be. I hope that the media continues to follow this story.
Film at 11:00 ...
I really don't understand what the big deal is.So they were married.I've been married 20 years,and if my wife were to win the lottery,more power to her.would I be looking for half,Heck No! not unless I gave her the money for the ticket.Her good fortune is her good fortune .My good fortune is my good fortune. All you people are telling the next generation of men is "DON'T GET MARRIED".And then explain the upside of marriage to a man.If you can think of one.
I like your philosophy vulcanclassic15 but you have a girlfriend and I have a wife. I don't think your girlfriend has any claim to your winnings. My wife knows I play but doesn't know when I win, and if she does know she doesn't know how much I won. It wasn't like this at first. When I 1st started playing I told her about every win and it seemed like everytime I won she would want half and have it blown within 2 days. So what I did next was give her a part of the winnings and then give her some extra with the numbers to play so she can have her own. I don't know what I was thinking of when I did that because all she would do was spend it up along with the winnings I gave her and come back with her hand out. Now I don't tell her about my wins and if I do I always tell her less. Once I hit the pick 3 for $2400 with 3 $1.00 str tickets and 2 .50 str tickets. I also hit the pick 4 bx for $100. I told my wife that I had hit both the pick 3 and pick 4 that night and asked her if she wanted the $300 pick 3 ticket or the $100 pick 4 ticket. Of course we all know she's going to choose the $300 ticket, so I gave it to her with no objections. Over the next few days I was buying all kinds of things but it was after she blew that $300. She began to look puzzled and finally asked me where I was getting all this money from. I asked her didn't she think it was odd that I would give her $300 over $100 with no objection. As far as my wife knows I have only hit the numbers 3 times this year.
If she spends her spending money on flowers & has no return on her investment & I spend my spending money on the lotto & win millions, why should I give her half the money?? It is not my fault she did not play the lotto!!
I feel the same way. My wife will say You spend all your extra money on that lottery and don't have a thing to show for it. I do have something to show for it....all this home interior crap and furniture. I think most people buy new furniture when their old stuff is worn out. Not my wife, if she's tired of looking at it it's time to get new stuff and where does that money come from.........my lottery winnings. We had 2 complete living room sets and 3 dining room tables. I'm not talking about dinette tables, I'm talking about formal dining room tables with 6 chairs. Several years ago she got tired of the bedroom set and bought a new one and gave the old one to my sister. We had that one for a few years and she gave that one away too. I have a feeling the one we have now is on it's way out soon too because it's almost 2 yrs old.
"My wife will say You spend all *your* extra money on that lottery and don't have a thing to show for it."
That is almost the same thing the woman in the story said, but when she found out *he* won the money, it became *ours*.
I like your philosophy vulcanclassic15 but you have a girlfriend and I have a wife. I don't think your girlfriend has any claim to your winnings.
I once had a wife, She won $250,000 one time on lotto & I lost count how much she won at the slots over the years, some times she would give me a few hundred or just treat for dinner, but I never asked for any of it. When we had our divorce I left with what I owned, she left with what she owned, we never even question anything about the money, it was her money that bought the ticket, she won, her name was on the ticket, not mine.
I find the ones that question about money all the time are only after the money or dont want to imporve them selfs to work a job that they can make a decent paycheck. I go to vagas often (sister lives there, no need to pay hotels) my girlfriend does not ask how much I spent, won or lost & she does not need to tell me how much she has spent, won or lost. As long as all are bills get paid, we both set aside $2000 a month for home improvements & vacations, I dont care what she does with the rest of her money, I have my own money, she has never asked how much parts for my old cars have cost (most of my winnings) & I dont ask how much her new ring, ear rings or what ever she buys cost.
Bottom line........ if she nags about the money, she does not make enough to suport her own habits or lives outside her means. I think this lady better start a school for beauty queens & start makeing her own damm money & mabe she could buy a few tickets & win more than him!
GET A JOB & LEAVE HIS MONEY A LOAN!!
I like this part,
"Here's a guy who for years has spent marital money on the lottery and at casinos, and he's always lost," Bruce Baldwin said. "And now he finally wins, and he's trying to keep it from his wife. That's pretty low."
And what was she doing with her money??? And when she goes for the divorce is she going to give him half of everything they own or everything he has bought her over the years? If he made all the house payments & paid all the utility from the time he had that ball & chain on, is she going to give him half?
I bet she wants it all, the house, the money, monthly susport, the only half hill get is the bills & she will most like make sure he get all the bills.
"Right now, all I want is justice," Campbell said. "With time, I will file for divorce."
If the court gives her any of the money, it wont be JUSTICE! Just another kick in the head. I hope this guy wins millions the day after there divorce!!!!!!!!
Some of these posts really shock me. I thought a marriage was a union and when you get married you share responsibilities, bills, love, money etc. Judging by some of these posts you wouldn't think that. There is a strong mentality of what mine is mine, screw the spouse.
I'm not married, but I guess I should be wary if I ever do get married. By many people's opinion here, if my husband were to play the lottery he could just run off without so much as a good-bye or any set of consequences and I would have to just suck it up.
Why get married or why stay married, if one of the thoughts in your head is that you would never share your winnings with your spouse? If the guy didn't want to share any "winnings" he may or may not win, he should have divorced her a long time ago. I bet that when push came to shove and he created gambling debts, she would be partly responsible.
I hate to say it but she could be trying to get half so she can have a income. The reason that she hasn't served him divorce papers could also be due the fact that it has been established that he has been gambling in the past so he could be addicted to gambling. Maybe she won't divorce him because she expects him to win more or it could just be the fact that they don't know where he is??? Just something to think about. I didn't know you could sue your spouse? I thought they had to be divorced. This kind of sounds like two siblings fighting over a toy so one goes to mom to make the other share. If they find him and he has to give her half I'm going to sue my wife for not having sex enough.
If they were married when he won the lottery, she gets half, period, end of story.
It makes NO difference if he or she is not working, or if they are separated and live 10,000 miles apart.
GameGrl - you telling me if you married me, I win the Jackpot, I file for divorce, you are OK with me keeping ALL of the money ? I very seriously doubt you would do that, but that's what you are saying in your posting.
Most of you, like Avore; you say one thing, but when it comes down to crunch time, every single one of you would be looking for your fair share (half) as well, and if you deny that, you are lying to yourself big-time.
Money changes EVERYTHING, trust me, I know, but most of you are not in a position to know that, you just think you are.
Wake up and smell the Kona.
I think you and I are married to the same girl, I have the same problem here.
I once dated the second runner up in a nationally televised beauty Pageant. She was a sweet lady, but very materialistic. I've worked with or dated Playboy Bunnies, models, actresses, singers, heiresses, and even a ballerina. Most are materialistic and won't be up for the "Mother Teresa Award."
Pamela Smart and Mary Kay LeTourneau were also "school teachers", but being school teachers didn't make them wise people. Like MOST women, most beauty queens are SHALLOW and if you don't believe me, just watch their "reality shows". Check out "Kimora Lee Simmons' Life In The Fab Lane" starring Kimora Lee.