PATERSON, N.J. — Authorities say a New Jersey man who won the $338 million Powerball jackpot on Monday is subject to potential arrest for owing about $29,000 in child support.
Pedro Quezada, 44, claimed a lump-sum payment worth $221 million, or about $152 million after taxes, the fourth-largest jackpot in Powerball history. He said Tuesday that he hasn't made up his mind on what to do with the money, but he could use a good car and give back to his community and "help those in need."
(See N.J. man claims $338 million Powerball jackpot, Lottery Post, Mar. 26, 2013.)
But authorities said Quezada owed child support payments that go back to 2009. It's not known which of Quezada's five children, who range in age from 5 to 23 years old, are covered under the payments.
A spokesman for Passaic County Sheriff Richard Berdnik said the sheriff's office's warrant squad is attempting to find Quezada to resolve the matter.
Spokesman Bill Maer also said the state Lottery Division generally satisfies such judgments before winnings are released. He added that Quezada is subject to potential arrest like everyone else until the warrant is satisfied.
Quezada lived in the United States for 26 years since his family moved in the 1980s from the Dominican city of Jarabacoa, CBS New York reports. Neighbors said the Quezada family suffered bad luck in recent years. Thieves broke into their apartment in 2011 and a fire almost destroyed their bodega in 2009.
Thanks to GAMBLIN QUEEN for the tip.
I Think he can afford the payments now, but how will they find him? He probably is hiding untill all the hype dies out
here we go
Just the beginning with this guy, you can just see he is not too bright. Christ he must have had about 20 people with him when he did the press conference. If this guy has $10 to his name in 5 years I will be shocked.
Well he did say " l want to take care of my family"- maybe his factoring in his deadbeat dad status knowing it needs to be upgraded.
Wouldn't supprise me if Pedro goes broke within 5 years.
i don't know if he is a deadbeat dad but what else would you call someone who owes $29,000 in back child support and still had enough cash to buy liquor and lottery tickets?
Looks like Pedro will need to get paid again.
Alimony, alimony
I thought I bought steak
But it was all baloney
Me oh my, oh goodness sake
I'm payin' for my mistake...
-Bobby Bare
Will he still be arrested after the lottery satisfies the judgment or after he himself pays it off plus all the fines?
that's cute
i'm just glad he can now pay all his dues to the mother & children
that way everyones Happy Happy
Good. I hope he pays more than the $29k for all those kids he's left scattered around. Sheesh.
Btw, what the heck is a bodega? I did google it. I live in the Houston area. We are fairly diverse here. Is a bodega the yankee hispanic version of the Pakistani mini-marts? Do the Pakistani get to have their own special name for their mini-marts? Pakidega? "Pock-ee-dega" as some might pronounce? If an Italian owns a mini-mart, is it called a bodego?
Kids cost a lot to have and I know because my sister has four and they always need things. I am just glad I never had any so I don't owe child support too. I bet the mother of those kids will ask for more money from pedro now that he is rich and he will be broke in five years if he doesn't watch it.-weshar75
Hey buylow, what does the photo mean?
It means grab a seat and the popcorn, this dude PEdro and his life is getting quite interesting/entertaining.
One Man two faces
Not only does he have to pay that $30,000 back, his kids mother will milk this guy for $5,000+ a week.
How does he want to buy a "good car"? In New York, if you owe child support, they remove your driving privileges and take your drivers license. I'm sure the same applies in New Jersey?
Anyways, it may seem that he's going back to the D.R. and enjoy the rest of his wealth there. My sisters dad says this all the time if he were to win huge amounts of money (buy a mansion in DR).
D.R. isn't that safe though for wealthy folks. They burglarize and kill for the money.
I'm not sure why this should be a problem for him now. $29,000 is chump change to him now.
But one thing I am sure of - I needed that good reminder of why I should NEVER be a father.
Oh yeah, this show is going to be good.
I predict he will be found dead in a penthouse suite in Vegas with about a kilo of coke on the table, killed by some stripper he was in love with and her boyfriend who run off with suitcase of cash with about $3 million in it.
My neighbor in the NBA, his child support for 1 kid is about $25,000 a month and his contract is about $100 million so this guy's child support from now on should be pretty epic. I assume the children's mothers will push for a nice chunk of change to be put away in trusts before he can blow it all too.
there's probably interest with that back child support, i'm sure we will be hearing more about this soon..kinda funny how happy we all was for him 2 days ago now look.
bad pedro
To be honest, I didn't like him from the start. Congrats on winning and I don't wanna sound like a jealous hater, but that money should've went to someone else. Personally me, or someone smart enough to make the money worth it. Pedro is a bodega owner I believe. Bodega owners are okay with money and whatnot, but something don't seem right about Pedro.
I dislike him for owing that money and not being a father. He probably neglected those kids. It's not right. With the good comes the bad, they say.
yes they do, food, doctors bills, toys, clothes, then phones, cars then if they choose to go to college he better be thinking about all that money it will be gone fast with 5 kids.
he will probably leave USA
bodega owner
what is that mean?
A grocery/deli owner. Basically a guy/girl who owns a grocery store.
Bodega is grocery store in Spanish. It's an East Coast thing. ;)
oh i see
maybe this is the family he was talking about the kids he left behind hope theres not more.
Pedro Quezada, 44, told NorthJersey that he wanted to use the money to help his family.
His current family I'm pretty sure. Not the neglected kids. The kids he owe child support too... Well unfortunately Pedro didn't consider those kids family. This is why he's in this predicament now - in trouble owing $29,000
well Lady luck is a blind archer, much like love. she shoots into a crowd of several 100 million ticket holders, and then grabs the pocorn. He derserves the money as much as any other ticket holder. Can he keep it without ruining his and those around him? its upto them.
Very nicely said. Fair and true. I agree. Hope the best.
Good point.
I agree that buying liquor and lottery tickets has a far much lower priority than support of the growing child whose growth and development ca not wait and should not be put on hold.
It appears that Pedro's past experience with taking care of his own family may be in-adequate to support his public altruistic declarations, comments and assurances that he will take care of his family, and the community with his $152M net winnings.
But again, nothing is impossible and if the murderer on the way to Damascus could be turned around from Saul of Tarsus to St Paul, Pedro too can be turned around to join the club of champions of the child.
From Google the answer is:
"bo·de·ga
He did say he would take care of his family, and i'm sure he meant his kids. Probably they reason he played lotto. Just because he could'nt pay, does'nt mean he was a total deadbeat. The dominicans i work with do their best with the little they have.
Drama
The Lord works in mysterious ways, changed my mind about this guy, Your human garbage if you don't make sure your kids are taken care of first, in this country for 26 years and can hardly speak english. speaks volumes.
It's ridiculous how he's so quickly judged.
They build you up to tear you.down but guess what he doesn't have any worries.
Ha.The debt of course will be settled to the state anyway before he even
receives the $152 million. It really wasn't anyones business.
I'm sure he would've paid that off first before anything.
Hate that the media digs and digs until they find something just to drag someone down.
Pedro is mega rich now, he's NOT even worried.
He was blessed for a reason.
I guess other States haven't adopted the same claiming rules as Maryland has. If you win anything over $600.00 and try to claim it at one of the two central claiming centers, back taxes, unpaid child support, alimony or any other debts claimed by the State, are paid out before the winner can get his or her win.
This rule has broken a many winners hearts when they have left the claiming office with "NOTHING".
Oklahoma the same way they check everything
Well, hopefully the NJ Lottery Headquarter's office is going to honor the 'Back Child Support Payments Withdrawal' if Pedro's County Police Dept. has contacted the NJ Lottery Headquarters to request such withdrawal. This Easter Break weekend article doesn't indicate such though.
Regardless, Pedro has probably been seeing a lawyer to discuss this either directly before, or after, this "back child support" news hit the press two days ago.
Consequently, I don't know how making such a paltry, $29K+, child support back payments withdrawal, from Pedro's $152M lump-sum Gross Remainder before NJ Lottery Headquarters cutting the final check, would break Pedro's heart. He's now a lucky guy, soon with lots of money, it is possible that his new monthly child(ren) support payments won't be increased more than 100% if he hires a talented lawyer.
Pedro still has a easy lifestyle to look forward to. For example, if he moves some of his family to a big luxury house in the low mountains in Cuenca, Ecuador, his family would live very comfortably, and even have daily medium-level reliability household Internet use.
Its hard to judge with so little information. Lots of people who don't even have a car cant pay support.
Losing his licence for not paying child support only guaranteed that he would stay on welfare.
Ohio has similar rules for lottery winners and unpaid child support, taxes and etc. but I'm not sure they do any checking beyond asking the winners. When I collected my $1500 prize last month I had to sign a statement that I didn't have any such outstanding obligations.
That doesn't matter when he goes to the lottery commission headquarters to claim his prize they'll take what he owes.
Right, people forget that the "news" these day is nothing more than a (for profit) TV show.