Updated with additional details about the anonymous winner
The winner of the largest Mega Millions jackpot in US history — $1.5 billion — is sharing some of her newfound wealth to help others in need.
The lucky South Carolina woman, who has chosen to remain anonymous, is donating to the Alabama Red Cross to aid tornado relief and several South Carolina charities.
She decided to donate because she claimed the money when a tornado struck Alabama in early March, her lawyer Jason Kurland said.
"It just felt like we were having this great event when there were people suffering nearby," Kurland said.
Kurland added the winner doesn't want to announce exactly how much she's donating to the charities.
"We spoke with the charities and agreed it would be best not to announce. We want to announce the charities to spread awareness," Kurland said.
The other organizations include the Ronald McDonald House of Charities of Columbia, South Carolina; In The Middle, a charity that helps women with breast cancer; the City of Simpsonville Art Center; and the One SC Fund for Hurricane Florence relief.
"Words can't describe the feeling of such incredible luck," the winner said in a Thursday statement through her lawyer.
"I do realize that such good fortune carries a tremendous social responsibility, and it gives me a unique opportunity to assist, support and contribute to charities and causes that are close to my heart."
She did her research before claiming the prize
The anonymous winner is a South Carolinian who was visiting Greenville from out of town and chose to take a "scenic drive during some down time" when she passed the KC Mart in Simpsonville. She decided to purchase a ticket there after the sign advertising the huge jackpot "caught her eye," according to a press release from her attorney.
When she realized she was the winner the morning after the drawing, "complete shock and disbelief" set in and she jumped in joy, the release said.
Her prize, which she opted to take her winnings as a one-time payment of $877,784,124, was the largest jackpot ever won by a single ticket in U.S. history.
After drawing the ticket in Simpsonville last October, it wasn't until a few weeks ago that the winner claimed her prize, sparking widespread speculation over why a winner hadn't come forward. According to the release, the anonymous woman was researching how to remain anonymous and manage her sudden influx of cash.
She has decided to keep her identity private for her safety, her lawyer said. South Carolina is one of few states that allows lottery winners to remain anonymous.
The anonymous winner is being represented by New York attorney Jason Kurland, who specializes in lottery winning, according to his firm's website. Some of his other large-lottery winning clients include:
- Putnam Avenue Family Trust, winner of a $254.2 million Connecticut Powerball lottery.
- Rainbow Sherbert Trust, winner of a $336.4 million Rhode Island Powerball jackpot.
- The Ning Trust, winner of a $121.6 million Powerball jackpot in Delaware two years ago.
Releases like this one, from her attorney, sporadically and randomly timed... this should drive the "press" loco and encourage conspiracy theorists to weave a nice web. I'm ordering extra popcorn and pretzels from the market so I can sit back and watch the fun. :)
Max- It could also be that our winner wants to get the word out there that she is " not a meanie" a hoarder of wealth.Nice touch. One past winner reminded us that he purchased a bicycle shop, because he loves cycling.
On a side note: l gazed into my palantir this morning & saw a winner of this week's Powerball jackpot.
These agencies know the $$$ is coming! Hopes it gets allocated correctly. Would create my own charity
She definitely has a good heart. She also knows another big tax bill is looming and by helping others through her unselfish donations, cuts her tax burden down too. In any case, she laid low to get everything done right and has an excellent team to work with.
I can see her donating $200k per charity. That is a generous amount which can do some good.
$200K per charity is extremely conservative. There is no way she should run out of cash in her lifetime, no matter what age she is now. Sure, she can leave the lion’s share of her wealth to others: Children, cousins, friends, charities etc etc, but with the right investments- she will walk streets of gold, till casket or urn time. Should l pull this PB jackpot off, l see myself donating $50 mil easily- so should she MsB.
I can affirm that she definitely has a team giving her advice. Smooth Calculated response for media appeasement. A real mother theresa.
She is doing this for one reason only. Her choice was ...be taxed or give that taxed money to a cause. You can't keep it ..so what will it be. ? She chose to donate. Doesn't make her a better or worse human either way. She simply used common sense since the govt isn't helping communities. The govt no doubt likes that she funded a cause so they don't have to. A wall is so much more important ...
Her money now...her choices. Meh.
hmmph .......
its amazing how people feel about charities and how much the well heeled ought to contribute to any one of an infinite amount of charities,shelters and related causes
if she wishes to be a Miss/Mrs/Ms Scrooge, it is her right and most folks ought to mind thar own bleeping business
It’s an opinion, you know what that is, don’t you? If you want to leave your wealth to feral cats, then that’s your opinion as well. Free speech DH.
Further clarification: When l first arrived on this site back in 2012, you tried pulling rank on me. Just stop that
, l have no time for it or you. Understood?
I think creating your own charity is an admirable thing. I used to think about starting my own charity as well. When I looked at what the time and especially the expenses were I decided I would rather donate money to a donor advised fund like the one at Fidelity Investments. You still get the tax write off but someone else takes care of the day to day and most of your money goes towards the charities you pick. I want to be generous AND foot loose and fancy free. Lazy Lucy, that’s me!
For Clarification about Charities and tax deductions. When a donor donates money to a Charity and takes the tax deduction, that reduces the tax bill by a certain percentage. That is the Government allowing the funding of Charities. Right? It is an incentive to be generous toward certain causes.
501c3 comes to mind. That is the IRS code for authorized charities.
You can take a deduction of up to 60% of your adjusted gross income for charitable cash contributions and 30% for appreciated securities. That is a nice incentive.
Thank you LottoLucy for the advice.
There is a website that you can check into charities and it tells you how much of your donations goes to the site vs. Administrative costs.
One breast cancer charity who shall be nameless was paying their CEO $600K per annum. It cost them dearly and rightfully so when this was outed.
My charities right now consist of four animals shelters, the Cleveland Clinic, and to an organization that helps impoverished families with medical bills from where I retired from. When I win I will look up senior animal care centers too.
I guess everyone believes everything they hear. This is not true at all.
I agree 110%. The ones who brag online and give an exact amount of how much they would give, are trying too hard to convince others that they are a good person. A big red flag. The people who are quietly giving everyday are the true good people.
We had an attorney in my office years ago who was constantly bragging that she was going to do this or that for a charity...grow her hair out and donate it to cancer victims, make sandwiches for some nearby homeless, etc. She never did any of these things. And yes, she was not a good person on any level. It was an attention seeking device masking her own insecurity.
Same thing about that St. Judes hospital. The main CEO gets over a million a year in salary. I am a big fan of the Salvation Army.
Numbers are misleading. Honestly, do you really believe what the story is saying. You do call yourself a lawyer.
I think the story is made up and to believe that a charity is getting something. It doesn't sound right.
Do you know anyone who has hit over a million and given to a specific charity?
I’ve been using charity navigator but I am always open to someplace new if you have a good suggestion. Like you I want my money to actually go to charity not big salaries.
As far as senior animals go, I’ve always thought it would be great to be able to donate large sums of money to agencies that do “meals on wheels” for seniors so they could also provide pet food and some basic medications for their clientele’s pets. I know some places have programs like that in place but it would be great to expand on it. No one should have to give up a pet because they’re down on their luck or immobile.
Good luck if you’re playing this week!
They're all in it for the money, period.
Notice, all the non profits are dc bound. I think it's disgusting in our world what we all live around.
Maybe I should stop playing the lottery and get a job as the CEO of a charity. It might be easier.
.
Good for her, to donate some of her winnings, to [the] Alabama Tornado relief effort, for one.
This gives me yet another "dona-ee" to include in my list, previously disclosed.
Mr. Groppo
I don’t think Artist77 has ever said they’re a lawyer.
Why would they lie about this? They could have never said a word and no one would have given it a thought. It isn’t like they need the extra attention.
Non profits are already getting attention. It's horrible that people are reading into this.
There are times when things written or said go over a few people’s heads. This is one of those times. There is a reason l ended my posted with
. Obviously what l wrote, went over so called intelligent heads. There is a word for believing everything you see & read- it’s called being gullible. Look it up- it’s fascinating.
I don't mind CEO's of charities to make six figures. At the end of the day it's WORK running an organization. However the more dough I give the more I want control over how the proceeds are spent. That's why initially i would give more conservative donations. It's ME who won the lottery not the charity.
Aw, i am happy she is doing this and at least we know it is a woman who won. Not sure age,
but god bless her.
I sure would do same with:
-foster kids suffering in the system, that in so many cases don't care about them once in the abhorrent child protection "system."
-those suffering/and or in prison system, who can't seem to make bail for non-serious charges yet have to remain in jail at risk,rather than to fight their case from being free temporarily(again)for non-serious charges etc.al., i would help many in the system right now if i could."
-homeless(no one in U.S.A. should suffer from being at risk of losing a warm nice home in our country.
-Those who are elderly and are seemingly too often, forgotten, instead of enjoying their very last years on earth.Nice to read this today.
I think she has a good heart, as i am always told in the field of work i do, and those in my every day life, i know and or meet,
I smiled much reading this so more and many blessings for this anonymous lady who is doing something wonderful with her new-found wealth and fortune."
I am happy to hear about this, as so many were clearly affected and rip to the many who did not survive.
A good friend of mine belongs to a Twitter conspiracy group that is currently discussing an FBI coup d'etat on the government. I'm not really into all the straw man arguments so I simply asked if it's true why weren't these people arrested or at least charged with a crime and that's when my friend shows how gullible they are.
That's when my friend points out that I watch "the Curse of Oak Island"; toucé.
Correct. I used the word "attorney." Lol
It's the Internet and people can pretend to be whatever gullible people believe them to be. If someone really believes you're a comedian from the 50s and you never correct them, according to the "Internet rule book", that's what you are.
Right, and all this time l was under the impression that “ no one took me serious.” Knowing so called intelligent people read my posts have me “ walking two feet off the ground.”- they must really like me.
I mean how else do you explain this? Finally, a breakthrough.
"paying their CEO $600K per annum."
Do you think people who can command that kind of salary should work for far less if their employer is a charity, or do you think that charities should settle for the cheapest management they can get?
All charities should be investigated on. They do what they do for reasons. However, if I ever win anything past a million, they will be questioned and they will be audited. I will only give to child search, my brothers handicapped so those people and my deceased dads diabetes if that. Prove to me evidence that money is really going where it is other wise get blackmailed.
of COURSE we really like you! (pass the popcorn please) and i only pretend to be an old woman... actually im a VERY old woman! ha! fooled you all
According to Dave Ramsey's baby steps Charities come last. After debts are paid off. After your home is paid off and you have four walls of protection. After investing in real estate and mutual funds.
After you have lived like no one else now you can give like no one else.
I have paraphrased Dave's baby steps. Dave's show places a light on the financial hardship that people are in. As a lottery winner you can expect some of them to ask you for help.
I honestly can't believe everyone believes what they hear about this. It's not true, no one claimed the prize money and were being laughed at in this country.
I am actually Cynthia Stafford. I had another dream where I won over half a billion $. I need $ to finance a movie about my life.
first of all congrats to the winner if i win the first thing i am going give to st jude and animal shelter
And make the ceo rich, right. Crazy, people believe all this stuff.
Well, if you really know this, then you can prove it. Otherwise, it's simply your opinion, which is worth no more than anyone else's.
Less, from what I've seen of them.
At least Cynthia gave her children and nephews a nice home to grow up in. I do not know how many years she did this.
She was generous to a fault.
For lack of knowledge the people perish.
After I win I will expect to be criticized. It comes with the territory.
I hope that Cynthia is gainfully employed. Especially now in this booming economy.
What ever she does she will land on her feet.
She was generous to herself mostly and her star status. She lost both homes.
How true. Too bad I can't post what the saying is. It goes opinions are like ______; everyone has one. Fill in the blank.
Anyhoot, back to reality and looking forward to 550.
Mega Millions winnerAbsolutely I can prove it. Youtube: Gematria Effect News, megamillions.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qOBT6JcwDU&t=121s
She sure picked the right lottery lawyer , J. Kurland. I got his name and number ready to use win I win the BIG LOTTERY JACKPOT!
Jason Kurland is also on many YouTube videos as well.
I saw her handbags that she spent $200,000.00 on. Her two luxury cars that she lost. I did not know about her homes. She spent to much on Art.
When I am critisized sp? for not spending my winnings I will refer them to Cynthia, Jack, DLE, Buddy Post, Jeffrey Dampier, Michael Carrol a Brit, and many more who lost it all. Evelyn Adams, Curtis Sharp, Lou Eisenberg, Billy Bob Harrel,
music*
Raven62, Point well taken. Thank You.
If we do not learn from history we are doomed to repeat it. I shall learn from my mistakes as well as another's mistakes. I will lighten up now. LOL!
I am curious why you think you have to answer to anyone who may criticize you for not spending your winnings. I would and have shut down any unsolicited input into my finances asap and did not provide any justification. Why refer them to anything?
And financial advisors are not prison wardens. All they can do is advise.
Artist77, Thank You for your reply and your correct spelling of "criticize".
I will need a person who will be a bad cop to my good cop routine. He/She will say NO to the persons asking me for money. I will tire of them asking me for a loan, a piece of the pie.
When I get my team together all of this will fall into place.
The problems of the rich! Is it worth it? I hope to find out the answers.
Sounds like you plan to announce your jp win to every living person. Abraham Shakespeare could not say no either. Why do you feel the need to play good cop? I hope you do not win for your own sake. You would be an easy target.
music* has his game plan and you must read his posts and know that your last sentence is not in his plans, Artist77!
Thank You Bleudog101 for coming to my defense. As with most military plans the first day in battle changes everything. The fog of war so to speak. With $211,050,000.00 there are so many opportunities that I might be confused at first. This is what an excellent team will help me with.
Any Californian winner has 365 days to claim his/her prize.
Past Californian winners have had only their name, city, store, and amount of the prize won published in the media. I will take this route.
I made the decision to take the Lump Sum prize because of the Democrat's plan to raise taxes to 90%. I will pay the 37% tax now. Plus my age and health are factors in my choice.
I've read his posts and someone who is hesitant to say no and wants to play good cop, is going to get in trouble. I am aware his recent posts contradict his previously stated plans. Advising him to be careful is a good thing. If he is worried about people criticizing how he spends his money, that is just the tip of the iceberg.
That ain't proof. That's just some guy twisting dates trying to create a conspiracy. I stumbled across that video a couple weeks ago and got a good laugh.
Geez, and you slam us for "believing everything we hear", and you fall for some you tube dude?
I am glad someone took the time to prepare themselves for this life changing situation. I am also glad the state governments didn't get to double dip. if you know what i mean.
Artist77, Thanks for your advice. I know that critics come with the territory.
I do change my mind. Like not taking the Annuity.
I wish I could tell you and all the LP Members about my living situation. It will all be revealed with a major win tonight.
Besides saying the word NO, I will create a short sentence that I can repeat because sometimes the other person does not hear my NO.
A long the lines of, "Thank You for asking but at this time I will refer you to my Money Manager."
Will a LP Member, Staff, or Todd Northrop be celebrating a major win?
🐱💻 time will tell soon enough .... but I do hope it'll someone worthy like me
I read that this winner faces legal and tax problems. She has the money to hire the best lawyers to fight for her.
I googled this and could not find any info. You are not referring to the issues that any lottery winner might face in the future?
I apologize and I am mistaken. It was a YouTube video that I did not view completely. I jumped to conclusions.
As to what the future holds. Trying to win the lottery teaches me that the future is unknown. Life is always changing.
Best wishes and good luck to all LP Members who are doing their best to win the PB.
"Issues that any lottery winner might face in the future." Where shall I begin. If you are smart and keep your mistakes in the low dollar amounts then you will learn as time goes by.
I am encouraged by past winners who twenty years later are still doing well for themselves.
Brad Duke, The West family from Oregon, Mark Gardiner from Britain, and all the rest who keep their heads down and are not in the news.
I will spend some on advisers. If/when I get the chance. LOL!
Thank You and Good Luck!