$338M NJ Powerball winner pays child support owed

Apr 2, 2013, 4:04 pm (179 comments)

Powerball

The New Jersey deli owner who won the $338 million Powerball jackpot last week sliced off a piece of his prize to pay nearly $30,000 in back child support yesterday.

Pedro Quezada, 44, appeared in Passaic County Family Court in Paterson, NJ, and cut a certified check for the payments, rounding the total up from the $29,490 he owed dating to 2009.

The jackpot's sole winner has five children ages 5 to 23. Three are minors, his attorney said.

In court, the newly minted multimillionaire said he will be moving his kids into his new home.

"My children will be living with me from now on," said Quezada, who spoke through a Spanish interpreter and wore earphones to hear translations of the proceedings.

Because he chose the lump-sum option, Quezada received about $152 million last week after taxes.

It is the third-largest lump-sum payment in Powerball history.

Quezada beat 175 million-to-1 odds when he bought the winning ticket at a liquor store in Passaic using the Quick Pick method.

Normally, the state Lottery Division satisfies judgments and liens before the winnings are released but failed to do so this time.

Even though he's paid up, Quezada will continue to owe $141 in child support per week until he can petition the court and prove that his children are, in fact, living with him.

His lawyer, Paul Fernandez, said that the younger children had been living on and off with Quezada over the years and that their mother and Quezada were on good terms. He declined to elaborate.

"This is just a bump in a road. He always had a relationship with his kids," Fernandez said.

"He purposely overpaid to show how much he wanted to keep his children," the attorney added.

Judge Ernest Caposela offered Quezada some free financial advice.

"There are going to be a lot of people who are going to ask you to invest in things because of your good fortune," Caposela said, "but investing in your children is the wisest investment you can make."

After the hearing, Fernandez dismissed rumors that Quezada had offered to pay his neighbors' rent for a month or two.

"While his heart goes out to families in need," Fernandez said, "his family comes first."  [Editor:  this is not an outright denial.]

Fernandez, who is also handling Quezada's trust, said the now-retired deli owner from the Dominican Republican has other benevolent plans.

"He wants to set up a foundation for homeless children in the Dominican Republic and here."

NY Post, Lottery Post Staff

Comments

redhot7's avatarredhot7

I am glad he got this over with Smile

Good luck to him and his future!

rdgrnr's avatarrdgrnr

I hope he becomes a good father to all his kids and doesn't think that throwing money at them and buying them everything they want is being a good father.

BEZ22's avatarBEZ22

Well he finally got the big check.. congratulations to him.. I pray and hope he does well in all of his furture endeavors.

maringoman's avatarmaringoman

I hope he will spend more time with his kids and not just sending child support checks. Also I suggest he buys a lot of condoms because he will be getting lots of action after winning all that money.

dallascowboyfan's avatardallascowboyfan

Your on the right path Pedro, taking care of you kids setting up trustThumbs Up wishing you and your family all the best.

dallascowboyfan's avatardallascowboyfan

Quote: Originally posted by maringoman on Apr 2, 2013

I hope he will spend more time with his kids and not just sending child support checks. Also I suggest he buys a lot of condoms because he will be getting lots of action after winning all that money.

I thought he was marriedWhat?

maringoman's avatarmaringoman

Quote: Originally posted by dallascowboyfan on Apr 2, 2013

I thought he was marriedWhat?

lol since when has marriage stopped people from doing whatever? Bill Clinton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mark Sanford, John Edwards, Elliot Spitzer, Larry King, Tiger Woods....sad but true

JoshUK

Quote: Originally posted by maringoman on Apr 2, 2013

lol since when has marriage stopped people from doing whatever? Bill Clinton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mark Sanford, John Edwards, Elliot Spitzer, Larry King, Tiger Woods....sad but true

But with Arnold Schwarznegger he will say I'll Be Back to his kids and support them. -.- Sorry cheesey pun, had to be done.

 

 

 

 

Grats to Pedro getting his finances in order.

helpmewin's avatarhelpmewin

"My children will be living with me from now on," said Quezada,

 

Smart Kids: daddy $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ Yes Nod

sully16's avatarsully16

Quote: Originally posted by maringoman on Apr 2, 2013

I hope he will spend more time with his kids and not just sending child support checks. Also I suggest he buys a lot of condoms because he will be getting lots of action after winning all that money.

LOL, I agree

VenomV12

I wonder how much ole attorney Paul Fernandez and his friends are going to skim off of this guy? Methinks they will be the real lottery winners when this is all done. Naive, trusting, uneducated client who has never had or dealt with large sums of money. A dream come true. 

Party1377

I am surprised he got his money so fast.

dr65's avatardr65

This is probably one of the worst people that could have won.
I see a lottery curse unfolding.

Ronnie316

Quote: Originally posted by VenomV12 on Apr 2, 2013

I wonder how much ole attorney Paul Fernandez and his friends are going to skim off of this guy? Methinks they will be the real lottery winners when this is all done. Naive, trusting, uneducated client who has never had or dealt with large sums of money. A dream come true. 

Perhaps you should call him and ask him what his fees are What?

Law Offices of  Paul Fernandez & Associates, phone# 973-523-5353  ...

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