NEWS: Lotto winner forced to split $30M with ex-wife

45 points27 commentssubmitted by simpson_hey to r/Lottery

A man who had already been separated from his wife for more than two years when he struck it rich has been ordered to hand over half.

Rich Zelasko, from Pontiac in the US, won a life-changing $US30 million ($A43 million) after buying a $1 Mega Millions lottery ticket in 2013.

At that stage, he and his ex-wife Mary-Beth Zelasko had been separated for well over two years, and the couple were in the middle of divorce proceedings.

Mrs Zelasko and her lawyers believed she was entitled to half the winnings, and an Oakland County Circuit Court judge agreed, ruling in her favour.

According to the Associated Press, that decision was appealed — but now, the Michigan appeals court has also sided with Mrs Zelasko and ordered her ex-husband to hand over $US15 million ($A21.6 million).

That’s because arbitrator John Mills ruled the lottery jackpot was considered “marital property” at the time of the win because although they were separated, the Zelaskos’ divorce had not yet been finalised.

That meant their separation wasn’t legally recognised, even though official proceedings were underway.

“It’s true that (the) defendant spent $1 to purchase the winning lottery ticket, however the dollar spent was arguably marital money and, as such, a joint investment,” Mr Mills ruled, according to the Associated Press.

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