Americo Lopes of New Jersey, USA had for years been entrusted with buying the lottery tickets for a group five of his close work friends. The group of construction workers would pool their money for their traditional Mega Millions ticket purchase.
Two tickets won the $77 million jackpot on November 10th, 2009. Americo Lopes held one of the winning tickets, allegedly bought with the pooled lottery money. Nobody in his life knew of the $38 million windfall, as he held the win completely to himself, he claimed the prize with lottery officials as a single winner, never mentioning the other four men who had pooled their money to increase their odds of winning.
Lopes received $17 million after taxes, and kept his jackpot to himself, not changing his lifestyle right away. He left his job, telling his former buddies that he had to stop working because he needed foot surgery. Only months later was it revealed that he came into money: he couldn’t resist telling one of his former friends that he’d won the lottery, stating that the week after he’d stopped working was when he’d scored the jackpot.
After checking the Megamillions winners site, the five friends realised Lopes had won with their pooled money, and demanded their share of the winnings. Justic prevailed, and they have now won a court settlement ordering Lopes to share the winnings, but their friendship has been irreperably broken, with Lopes stating in The New York Times: “They have robbed me.”
