Mysterious billionaire sued by family for ‘cheating them out of their share of $1.35 billion jackpot’ as he says telling his father was a mistake

A LOTTERY winner has been accused of lying to his family about being promised a share of his $1.35 billion jackpot – months after he sued his son’s mother over the money.

The anonymous Mega Millions lottery winner has been embroiled in a legal battle with his family since November, when he claimed his son’s mother told his family about the prize money when she shouldn’t have.

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The Maine resident won the fourth-largest jackpot in U.S. history in January of last year.

He received his winnings through a limited liability company to keep his identity secret, but has since been embroiled in a legal battle with his family over who told whom about the prize.

In November, the winner presented a lawsuit claiming that his child’s mother, referred to as Sara Smith in the documents, violated a nondisclosure agreement she signed to keep the jackpot private until June 1, 2032, when her daughter will turn 18.

However, in his latest court filings, Smith claims the winner, referred to as John Doe in the documents, told his father and stepmother about the win.

The winner’s father also alleges that his son deceived the family by making promises of money that were not kept.

“In February or March 2023, my son came to my home… and informed my wife and I that he had won a large sum of money in the Maine State Lottery,” his father wrote in court papers, according to court documents obtained by The Daily Beast.

“I understand that my son has stated that he told me nothing about his money ‘other than the simple fact that I earned it,’” the father wrote. “This is not true.”

The newly discovered billionaire reportedly promised to help his father and stepmother financially, despite his father claiming he never asked for money.

However, things quickly changed after the lucky winner told his father he could no longer speak to his granddaughter’s mother.

“He got angry, calling me a ‘dictator’ and an ‘idiot’. I haven’t heard from my son since, and he hasn’t done anything like that. [the] things he promised.”

In a separate lawsuit, the winner claimed that although he told his father he won the lottery, he made no promises.

“I made the mistake of telling my dad I had won the lottery without him signing a confidentiality agreement,” the lottery winner wrote.

“Our relationship deteriorated quickly after that.

“I didn’t tell him what I was doing with my money, how it would benefit my daughter or anything other than the simple fact that I won.”

MORE LOTTERY WINNERS

The winner in Maine isn’t the only person to have won a billion-dollar jackpot.

Yanira Alvarez has been identified as the recent winner of the $1.08 billion Powerball jackpot for July 2023.

The new winner got her ticket to Las Palmitas Mini Market in Los Angeleswhere the ticket numbers were 7, 10, 11, 13 and 24.

Top US Lottery Winners

Millions dream of winning the lottery and finding fame and fortune. These are the biggest winners in US lottery history.

• Edwin Castro – $2.04 billion, Powerball, November 8, 2022, in California.
• Theodorus Struyck – $1.765 billion, Powerball, October 11, 2023, California.
• Unknown Winner – $1.602 Billion, Mega Millions, August 8, 2023, Florida.
• Marvin and Mae Acosta of Los Angeles, California, John and Lisa Robinson of Munford, Tennessee, and Maureen Smith and David Kaltschmidt of Melbourne Beach, Florida – $1.586 billion, Powerball, January 13, 2016.
• Unknown Winner – $1.537 Billion, Mega Millions, October 23, 2018, from South Carolina.
• Winner unknown – he sued his child’s mother to keep his identity hidden – $1.348 billion, Mega Millions, January 13, 2023, from Maine.
• Unknown Winner – $1.337 Billion, Mega Millions, July 29, 2022, from Illinois.
• Cheng and Duanpen Saephan and Laiza Liem Chao – $1.326 billion, Powerball, April 7, 2024, from Oregon.
• Yanira Álvarez – $1.08 billion Powerball, July 19, 2023 in California.
• Wolverine FLL Lottery Club – $1.05 Billion, Mega Millions, January 22, 2021, from Michigan.
• Winner unknown – $842.4 million Powerball, January 1, 2024, from Michigan.

Angélica Menjivar, stepdaughter of the store manager, gave the winner’s description to New York Post Office.

“An elderly lady. 100% a Latina lady,” Menjivar told the publication.

She decided to get her money all at once, which meant she would take home $558.1 million after taxes.

Another portion of your earnings goes to California public schools.

“We can’t thank our players enough for their help in supporting California public schools,” said California Lottery Director Harjinder K. Shergill Chima.

The state requires that all winners be named after claiming the prize.

Alvarez declined to comment publicly on the announcement.