Edmonton Journal

SHE WON $560M, BUT SHE DOESN’T WANT YOU TO KNOW HER NAME.

- Cleve R. Wootson JR.

PAGE NP5

The winning numbers triplechec­ked and the lottery ticket signed, the New Hampshire woman knew her life was about to change in a very positive way — except for one petrifying thing.

As the winner of last month’s $560 million Powerball, she would soon be the world’s newest owner of a nine-digit bank account.

But because of lottery rules, everyone in the world would know about it — neighbours, old high school friends, con artists, criminals.

Now the woman is asking a judge to let her keep the cash — and remain anonymous. In court documents obtained by NewHampshi­re. com, she is fittingly identified only as Jane Doe.

“She is a longtime resident of New Hampshire and is an engaged community member,” the woman’s attorney, Steven Gordon, wrote in the court documents. “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.”

On one side of the case are lottery officials who say the integrity of the games depends on the public identifica­tion of its winners as a protection against fraud and malfeasanc­e. A local woman holding up a giant cheque for the cameras also happens to be a powerful marketing tool.

On the other side is a woman suddenly faced with a life-changing stroke of luck who, court documents say, wishes to live “far from the glare and misfortune that has often fallen upon other lottery winners.”

The law doesn’t appear to be on her side.

New Hampshire lottery rules require the winner’s name, town and amount won be available for public informatio­n, in accordance with open-records laws. The state allows people to form an anonymous trust, NewHampshi­re.com reported, but it’s a moot point for the woman — she’d already signed her name and altering the signature would nullify the ticket.

In a statement, New Hampshire lottery Executive Director Charlie McIntyre said the commission consulted with the state’s attorney general’s office and that the Powerball winner must abide by the disclosure laws “like any other.”

Other lottery winners have realized that the fantasy can quickly morph into a nightmare. There are myriad self-inflicted problems that can happen to a person who suddenly comes into great wealth.

And there are numerous examples of people who’ve tried to swindle lottery winners out of their newly acquired cash — or take the money by force.

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