Christmastime battle over lottery jackpot

Dec 24, 2010, 9:04 am (45 comments)

Florida Lottery

THE VILLAGES, Fla. — A lottery lawsuit is all the talk in The Villages. A group of friends hit the Florida Lotto jackpot, but one single dollar has led to a fight over $16 million.

It's known as Florida's friendliest neighborhood, but there's scandal at the Hacienda Hills Country Club.

"Yeah, yeah. Everybody knows," golfer Otto Strunck told local media.

Eight employees and players are in a tug of war. The controversy is over a Florida lotto ticket, a winning ticket worth $16 million.

"It'd be an awful shame for money to end friendships," attorney Tom Culmo said.

Culmo is the Miami lawyer for 72-year-old Jeanette French. He says, for years, French and seven friends pooled their cash to buy tickets. Last week they won, but Culmo says the seven won't give his client her fair share; they insist she did not contribute to last week's pool.

Now, a judge has issued an order that stopped the lottery from turning over the millions, and both sides have lawyers. Those who know the players in this dispute say that is a mistake.

"I guess the attorneys will all figure it out by the time they get done with it," Villages golfer Bob Thomas said.

Culmo claims, every now and again, when a pool member wasn't at work and couldn't contribute their dollar a fellow member would spot them the buck. He says that's what happened with his client.

WFTV couldn't reach the lawyer for the other seven involved, but over at Hacienda's fourth tee some golfers say the friends should share the winnings.

"Would you cut her in?" WFTV reporter Berndt Petersen asked.

"Absolutely, in a heartbeat," golfer Dom Oriolo responded.

None of the lotto players involved in the lawsuit could be reached for comment.

French's lawyer says the group of seven tried to claim the cash option of $9 million. Each are owed $1.3 million before taxes if seven split the prize. If they included the eighth winner, it would be $1.1 million each.

Thanks to Nino224 for the tip.

WFTV

Comments

Todd's avatarTodd

I can't believe these people are so short-sighted that they would forgo massive amounts of money to spend on lawyers -- let alone not getting access to their lottery jackpot for months or years -- all for battling over about $200,000 less of a payout each (to give the 8th player their share).

Just goes to show that lottery pools are nutz, and I always avoid them.

It also goes to show that getting a windfall automatically makes half your brain disappear.

increase's avatarincrease

I have to say that this one baffles my mind.

If we have played together for YEARS and always spotted the $1 if someone is out. What's the problem this time?

I would not waste my time or money hiring a lawyer; it's just not worth it.

I certainly wouldn't want to wait around for my share of the jackpot.

I guess they just don't see the big picture.

MzDuffleBaglady's avatarMzDuffleBaglady

"Shame on the group".

PERDUE

Quote: Originally posted by Todd on Dec 24, 2010

I can't believe these people are so short-sighted that they would forgo massive amounts of money to spend on lawyers -- let alone not getting access to their lottery jackpot for months or years -- all for battling over about $200,000 less of a payout each (to give the 8th player their share).

Just goes to show that lottery pools are nutz, and I always avoid them.

It also goes to show that getting a windfall automatically makes half your brain disappear.

I can believe it. I remember a song titled "Love is Blind." Well now someone can write a song titled "The Love of Money Will Make You Blind to Common Sense."

If it is proven that this woman has been part of the group for the longest and everything is on the up and up, the judge should award her an extra portion just to spite these greedy trolls.

If it is proven that this woman is lying then she should be locked up for 25 years for being a greedy posing troll.

 

I agree with U Todd, if you are going to play the lottery then do it alone. Cuts down on the paperwork and the drama.

HaveABall's avatarHaveABall

Congratulations Ms. French, I hope you receive your 1/8 share of your lottery pool's jackpot win and soon get some BIG happinesses in your life.  Lottery jackpot wins are supposed to be enthralling, lingering experiences!  Although, my thoughts these past few years have come to the conclusion that participating in a "lottery pool" is unwise, too many "wild card" individual personalities and conceiving potential!

Well, apparently Ms. French's lawyer, Culmo, has publicly (via WFTV) and privately informed the judge that in the past years this group always added the dollar for the frequent occasion when a fixed player in their permanent membered "lottery pool" was away.  This is known as "precedence" in the field of law ... if it's been done before, it can -- and should be -- reasonably expected to be done again.

Unfortunately, this article didn't explain if lawyer Culmo's client, Ms. French, has given her "dollar" [owed] to the lottery pool's money collector as of yet. I hope she did, and had a witness.

If Ms. French has been participating for years in this lottery pool, I bet she is upset, after all, the consistent and only purpose of their playing was to WIN the lottery jackpot and split it among their fixed 8 players. That was the "agreement/mandate," very simple!  Now, the other players in the lottery pool are going to be hard pressed to prove to Ms. French that they weren't part of the decision to claim the jackpot with her name omitted from the claim form!  I suspect EACH lottery member coward is laying low or has managed to take up short term residence away from the subdivision they each occupy abodes in.

If I were Ms. French, and I ended up paying back my owed dollar to the pool, and I ended up receiving my fair 1/8th share of the lottery jackpot from the judge's mandate, I think I would STRONGLY desire to move away from these "friends" and city.  What a multi-layered "hardship" for Ms. French to have been forced into:  having to move away, if she is fiscally able (it still isn't much money after 35% or so in Federal taxes are deducted, so maybe she's stuck living there since she may have to spread her monies out until she reaches the potential age of 99 years old), risk making new friends or not and be isolated, make arrangements for a different place to live, and hire to have my possessions moved.

hearsetrax's avatarhearsetrax

Quote: Originally posted by Todd on Dec 24, 2010

I can't believe these people are so short-sighted that they would forgo massive amounts of money to spend on lawyers -- let alone not getting access to their lottery jackpot for months or years -- all for battling over about $200,000 less of a payout each (to give the 8th player their share).

Just goes to show that lottery pools are nutz, and I always avoid them.

It also goes to show that getting a windfall automatically makes half your brain disappear.

Green laugham sure the bills from this one will prove that interesting ....

 

I'd think of all the lottery stories we've read over the years the brain loss  from a windfall is closer to three fourths Roll Eyes

temptustoo's avatartemptustoo

Well it is very  sad that these people are behaving like a bunch of Greedy Morons.  I hope the lawyer takes a HUGE chunk of the money...  They should be ashamed of themselves..

Raven62's avatarRaven62

Greed makes people act in strange ways!

When this is settled who will benefit the most: The Attorneys! Thud

KKLK$DAY7

This has got to be the dumbest crap I have ever seen.  Maybe someone is thinking that the lawyers are working "pro bono".

increase's avatarincrease

Quote: Originally posted by KKLK$DAY7 on Dec 24, 2010

This has got to be the dumbest crap I have ever seen.  Maybe someone is thinking that the lawyers are working "pro bono".

I agree....DUMB....DUMB....DUMB!

KKLK$DAY7

If I ever win the lottery I plan on sharing it with the disadvantage youth....They better have their dollar ready to pay for their share of my winnings.

HaveABall's avatarHaveABall

Quote: Originally posted by KKLK$DAY7 on Dec 24, 2010

If I ever win the lottery I plan on sharing it with the disadvantage youth....They better have their dollar ready to pay for their share of my winnings.

I believe an argument can be made that we each are "disadvantaged youth!"

dpoly1's avatardpoly1

This is the reason that I never play the lottery with a group!

I spend about $2 a week on Mega Millions or Powerball ........ I will be generous when I win ........ and I won't have to fight with anyone!

I like when 1 person wins ......... it has a big impact and .............

it drives the greed of envy crowd absolutely nuts Crazy !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Merry Christmas to all ........ Noel

I know that everyone needs a win, but I am hoping that I will be the lucky winner of ......

about $69,550,000 after taxes tonite!!!

kennedygrandma's avatarkennedygrandma

Quote: Originally posted by Todd on Dec 24, 2010

I can't believe these people are so short-sighted that they would forgo massive amounts of money to spend on lawyers -- let alone not getting access to their lottery jackpot for months or years -- all for battling over about $200,000 less of a payout each (to give the 8th player their share).

Just goes to show that lottery pools are nutz, and I always avoid them.

It also goes to show that getting a windfall automatically makes half your brain disappear.

This is the very reason why when I play I play alone people get crazyover a few dollars so you know they will lose their mind over millions. I would give her her share and keep it moving. They are holding up everybodys money. They are really stupid.

Abdi's avatarAbdi

this husstle and bussttle among the lottery players could not have had come at a more worst time than on the eve of the christmass period.

B$Rizzle's avatarB$Rizzle

Dayum all of this over $200,000 when they would each be taking home $1.1 Mil anyways (minus taxes)? Come on guys stop being so greedy! How would they feel if it was them that missed that one draw. You know good and well they would each expect a winning cut.

 

I have done pools with my neighbors and I was basically the "manager" of the pool so to speak. If someone couldnt make it I would still include them if they were a regular pool player and if they said they wanted to pitch in, but couldnt at that time....Now if they decided to not pitch in for several draws becuase they just didnt care, then thats a different story. But in this case, it seems the lady was a recent contributor

 

Money destroys friendships and in this case they are all making out very decent either way.

sully16's avatarsully16

Quote: Originally posted by Todd on Dec 24, 2010

I can't believe these people are so short-sighted that they would forgo massive amounts of money to spend on lawyers -- let alone not getting access to their lottery jackpot for months or years -- all for battling over about $200,000 less of a payout each (to give the 8th player their share).

Just goes to show that lottery pools are nutz, and I always avoid them.

It also goes to show that getting a windfall automatically makes half your brain disappear.

I agree, if she was good enough to be in the pool for years.....

CutlassBob's avatarCutlassBob

Something stinks in Florida. They should cut her in.

Merry Christmas, even to the Scrooges!! Noel

RJOh's avatarRJOh

If in the past this pool always bought the same amount of tickets expecting players to later pay their share even if they won nothing then Jeanette French shouldn't have a problem winning her case however if it can be shown she only contributed some time with the attitude that I'm in if you win and I'm not if you lose then she may have a problem especially if the pool bought less tickets when she didn't contribute.

petergrfn

Quote: Originally posted by Todd on Dec 24, 2010

I can't believe these people are so short-sighted that they would forgo massive amounts of money to spend on lawyers -- let alone not getting access to their lottery jackpot for months or years -- all for battling over about $200,000 less of a payout each (to give the 8th player their share).

Just goes to show that lottery pools are nutz, and I always avoid them.

It also goes to show that getting a windfall automatically makes half your brain disappear.

Exactly!  When someone says lotto pool at work or in my circle of friends I say NO THANKS.    It just causes headaches...Either I win or lose with my few tickets having other peoples tickets in a "Pool" doesn't increase my odds of winning that much.   These people are crazy in the end they will have to pay all eight people in the pool AND THE LAWYERS!   Besides that they are going to have to wait probably until May or June 2011 to get their money.....Just end the lawsuit now cut your losses pay the 8th person and enjoy your money during the holidays...I mean, why not, 1.1 million is a God Send during these tough economic times!   Merry Christmas FR!

LotteryTechInc

Lottery Pools are a bad  idea all around I play alone so no worries of sharing  or fighting over money

ttech10's avatarttech10

Reminds me of the group of insurance workers from New Jersey. One of the regular players was out the week they pooled the money and so the day they found out they won they just had the one guy pay and there were no problems. Of course, that jackpot was $216 million among 10 people, so they all still received more than these people will. It's sad how money can pull people apart.

https://www.lotterypost.com/news/190102

fwlawrence's avatarfwlawrence

Quote: Originally posted by temptustoo on Dec 24, 2010

Well it is very  sad that these people are behaving like a bunch of Greedy Morons.  I hope the lawyer takes a HUGE chunk of the money...  They should be ashamed of themselves..

Don't worry. The lawyers will take a huge chunk of money!

time*treat's avatartime*treat

Quote: Originally posted by ttech10 on Dec 24, 2010

Reminds me of the group of insurance workers from New Jersey. One of the regular players was out the week they pooled the money and so the day they found out they won they just had the one guy pay and there were no problems. Of course, that jackpot was $216 million among 10 people, so they all still received more than these people will. It's sad how money can pull people apart.

https://www.lotterypost.com/news/190102

Yeah, I was thinking of that story, too. Smile

Split the take with the 'regulars' and be done with it.
The folks in this Flori-duh story are in total going to spend more on lawyers than it would have cost ...

RJOh's avatarRJOh

Quote: Originally posted by Todd on Dec 24, 2010

I can't believe these people are so short-sighted that they would forgo massive amounts of money to spend on lawyers -- let alone not getting access to their lottery jackpot for months or years -- all for battling over about $200,000 less of a payout each (to give the 8th player their share).

Just goes to show that lottery pools are nutz, and I always avoid them.

It also goes to show that getting a windfall automatically makes half your brain disappear.

Sounds like a simple solution if she was the only one who contributed in the past but not this time however if there are others who did the same thing then the group could get even larger. 

That's one of the problems with some work place lottery pools, they allow people to get in when they have the money and out when they don't.

Abdi's avatarAbdi

this is the most difficult case any magistrate will not wish to handle.

Win$500Quick's avatarWin$500Quick

The lawyers just won the lottery!

savagegoose's avatarsavagegoose

im tending to  believe that if there wasnt some reason to  take the action of not giving her a cut they wouldnt do it.

now if they ll believed she was deserving a 1/8th share,  would 7 eople conspire to deprive here of her cut?

i personally dont believe so.

some reson for them to take this action , maybe she  never " had a spare dollar " when ever the money was collected.

maybe the covering ea week, had gone on for months and months.

 

who knows,

1st rule of pools is pay up when asked,. and 2nd is tell the people who dont pay up, YOUR'E OUT.

 

 i dont think theywould cut her out just form spite, maybe its a lesson to pay your freeking money when you're in a pool.

i dont doubt that she will win something, either outt of court or thru a judgment.

as to the truth in the matter,  only the poeple directly involved will ever know, and once you get lawyers involved even the truth will be hard to discover.

sully16's avatarsully16

Quote: Originally posted by Win$500Quick on Dec 24, 2010

The lawyers just won the lottery!

yep,

grwurston's avatargrwurston

I can speak from my own experience. Several years ago, I joined an existing pool at work with a total of 10 people. Each week one person would collect the money,($5.00 per person for each drawing), buy the tickets, make copies of the tickets at work, and pass out the copies the day of the drawing on Friday and Tuesday. Everyone took their turn. After awhile, a few people asked me if I would do it every week, basically because they knew I played pick 3 games almost every day anyway, and it would be more convenient for me to do it. I agreed. There was no problem for over a year and a half, then one day I couldn't make it to work on Monday or Tuesday. I bought the tickets Monday as usual, for Tuesdays drawing, and made the copies at the store where I bought the tickets, and got a receipt for the copies. When I passed out the copies first thing Wednesday morning some one in the pool asked, " how do we know these aren't copies of a bunch of losing tickets and you didn't keep a winner? I got p.o.'ed and I showed this person the receipt, and the date and time on the tickets when they were purchased and said, " you knew I wasn't here on Monday, if you were that worried about it, then why didn't you go out and buy the tickets yourself? I've been doing this for over a year and a half, no one has ever had any problem whatsoever and now you're going to question my honesty?" This person had nothing to say, and I let everyone know I would no longer buy the tickets for the pool and we should go back to taking turns.  Everyone in the pool gave that guy a hard time about it and he apologized the next day, but no one else would buy the tickets after that and the pool disbanded.  I guess it was too "inconvenient"  for anyone else to do it. It also makes me wonder just how they would have behaved if we HAD won anything. So whats going on in Florida doesn't really surprise me, there is no telling how people will act when there is money involved.

Nino224's avatarNino224

I think we can agree this is one of the dumbest things in lottery history. But just like everything else in life, you have to know who you're getting involved with. I'm sure that over the years Ms. French had plenty of clues as to what kind of people these were.

I have to disagree about pools. I think they're wonderful, and as we all know there are countless stories of very rich and happy pool groups.

We have one at my job with 8 people that play consistently. That's 16 more chances to win per week than what I can do on my own. The guy that collects routinely puts in the $2 for me or anyone else who happens to be out that day since we all have different days off. He always gets paid.

Do you really want to be one of the people in your office that DIDN'T play in the pool that won millions???

Spare Change

Quote: Originally posted by time*treat on Dec 24, 2010

Yeah, I was thinking of that story, too. Smile

Split the take with the 'regulars' and be done with it.
The folks in this Flori-duh story are in total going to spend more on lawyers than it would have cost ...

Flori-duh,Razz Smile.  Yeah, I like Florida.  For the most part, everything there is right around 80.  The temperature, the people's ages, and their IQ's.  At least, in the case of the people in this story.

BuyLow's avatarBuyLow

This is the same retirement community that had a rash (no pun intended) of STD's a few years back as it was rumored some of the retirees were turning to prostitution to supplement their dwindling retirement income.

 

http://www.clickorlando.com/news/9283707/detail.html

dphillips's avatardphillips

That's what friends are for!

OldSchoolPa's avatarOldSchoolPa

I Agree!  and that is why I champion the saying, "JUST SAY NO TO LOTTERY POOLS!!!"  But I don't believe in the saying (or the song), "Mo Money, Mo Problems!"  Rather, it is more like, "Mo People, Mo Problems!!!"  So that is why I would avoid participating in a lottery pool like it were the plague!!!

savagegoose's avatarsavagegoose

i used to run 3 pools!

i still run 1 but its only family so its all good, and im in one that i started but someone else now runs.

 

yeah i must say it is pretty much not worth the effort., a thankless task running the show where people try everything to avoid paying up, and howl like wolves if they miss out on a prize.

oh and tel lyou how to do things,  i always say start you're own pool if you dont like how its ran, that usually shuts people up.

 

im guessing it would have been fun times if  one of the 3 pools i ran actually won, and the others decided they wanted a peice of the action. no doubt lawyers would have got paid.

my only advice to pools is only play them with people you really really like,

CowboysFan's avatarCowboysFan

I don't get why people play in pools. I mean this pool bought 8 tickets a drawing. Why not just buy 8 tix for yourself and if you win you don't have to split it? Your chances don't increase that much with pools so I don't think it is worth the hassle.

savagegoose's avatarsavagegoose

but lok at all the fun theyre having, days out visiting court houses,  gossiping and complaining about other people. lots more fun that just  hauling off a big pile of cash to your  retirement home.

corius$1918!

Quote: Originally posted by Win$500Quick on Dec 24, 2010

The lawyers just won the lottery!

My sentiments exactly!

 

Belated Merry Christmas to everyone!

butterflykt's avatarbutterflykt

This is such a shame.  I wish the woman luck.

beaudad's avatarbeaudad

Quote: Originally posted by Win$500Quick on Dec 24, 2010

The lawyers just won the lottery!

I agree!!!!! too much grief over a couple of dollars........sounds to me like a bunch of people that have had money all their life.....and would prefer to let the "lawyers fight it out".............to get or keep "their fair share"...........Greed.........           beaudad

luisM

Lottery pools, in general, are a bad Idea. And if you do a pool, you should only do it for Powerball or Mega Millions Jackpots for well over 100 million dollars and not 16million (annuitized value BTW)

JWBlue

There is nothing wrong with being in a lottery pool as long as there is something in writing that clearly states what happens when someone does not pay a particular week.

 

The document should be notarized.

savagegoose's avatarsavagegoose

out here there is a syndicated play option.

when buying your tickets, you can tell cashier how many people ar ein the syndicate.

they print out exact same copies of numbers but theyre shared entries.

when claiming the prize the sharewd tickets only  get  a shar eof the prize, ie if 5  syndicated entries ea ticket is 1/5 th of the prize

you hasnd out 1 copy to ea person who paid up, and keep any ;left overs your self.

 

 

refusing to sell the winner to late payers is also an option

naijaman

Ahh...once again, another story of how the winning the lottery makes turns reasonable people into non-thinking zombies who would rather pay lawyers to fight over the winnings than be reasonable and split the winnings. The difference between $1.3 million and $1.1 million is not worth this entire mess...ugh...so pathetic.

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