Winner of lottery says she made a ‘huge mistake’

A New Hampshire woman who bought a Powerball ticket worth $560 million last month is fighting to remain anonymous, saying in a lawsuit that releasing her name would “constitute a significant invasion of her privacy.”

The woman filed suit against the New Hampshire Lottery Commission under the pseudonym Jane Doe. She says she made a “huge mistake” when she signed her real name on the back of the ticket before contacting a lawyer, who told her she could have remained anonymous had she established a trust and then had a trustee sign the ticket.

The lawsuit, filed last week, describes the woman as an “engaged community member.”

“She wishes to continue this work and the freedom to walk into a grocery store or attend public events without being known or targeted as the winner of a half-billion dollars,” the complaint said.

The woman has not yet claimed the prize.

The New Hampshire Lottery is standing firm.

“The New Hampshire Lottery understands that winning a $560 million Powerball jackpot is a life-changing occurrence,” Charlie McIntyre, the New Hampshire Lottery’s executive director, said in a statement. “We also understand that the procedures in place for prize claimants are critically important for the security and integrity of the lottery, our players and our games.”

He said the state attorney general’s office has advised him that the lottery must proceed in accordance with its rules and state law “in processing this claim like any other.”