Judge freezes Margaree Chase the Ace lottery prize until dispute is resolved
A Nova Scotia Supreme Court justice has granted an order that a share of a contested Chase the Ace lottery prize will be frozen until there is a final outcome in the dispute.
Justice Patrick Murray presented his oral decision in Port Hawkesbury Supreme Court Aug. 27.
Earlier in the month, Murray had issued an interim order that Tyrone Macinnis of Glace Bay could not spend his share of the lottery prize. Macinnis, along with his aunt, Barbara Reddick of Guysborough, claimed the chase the ace jackpot in Margaree on July 10.
The ruling came during a hearing on motion to freeze Macinnis’ share sought by Reddick, who claims she is entitled to the entire prize, not just half.
In her lawsuit against her nephew, Reddick asserts she is the sole winner of the prize, arguing she e-transferred $100 to the 19-year-old Macinnis to buy her tickets for the wildly popular card game and that he could write his name on her tickets for good luck.
Reddick, who retired after serving in the Canadian Armed Forces as a supply technician in the navy for 23 years, further claimed there was no discussion or agreement with her nephew about splitting the winnings. She also claims Macinnis, a university student, put his home phone number on the tickets without her instruction or permission.
Following the discovery of two names on the $1.2-million winning ticket, Margaree officials divided the prize into two cheques for $611,319.50.
A settlement conference has been set for Sept. 17 when the parties will meet with the judge in chambers to see whether they can come to an agreement regarding the winnings.