Vancouver lottery winner loses in divorce case

Comment #29

KY Floyd — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 05:20:05 GMT

Unless you live someplace where your spouse isn't entitled to a share of the assets accumulated during the marriage, one of the routine parts of a divorce is an accounting of all assets in order to determine an equitable division of those assets. A winning lottery ticket is an asset, so it has to be disclosed. As in the case noted above, attempting to conceal assets is a good way to lose them.

Comment #28

RJOh — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 01:00:33 GMT

There probably are spouses that have gotten away with cheating their exes out of a fair share of what was accumulated during their time together but only the ones that got caught ever made the news.

Comment #27

BabyJC — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 20:02:31 GMT

If the CA woman had won herself (instead of as part as an office pool), kept it quiet and then divorced her husband (and waited the six months to become final) BEFORE cashing in her lotto ticket - Would that have been a better plan in what she was trying to do/get away with

Comment #26

justxploring — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 08:49:11 GMT

I think it depends on the divorce agreement. If you have children and child support is based on income, then it makes sense that the State would increase the child support. That might be automatic in some cases.

I don't think a ex-wife or ex-husband is entitled to any money won after the divorce is final unless the winner was behind in his/her obligations. Let's say 2 people agree to payoff their debts. If one falls behind because he used the money to gamble, I'd say the other has a pret... [ More ]

Comment #25

denniswaite — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 02:37:19 GMT

In Re the above case ...... this case is not subject to US laws ;

the above case would be in each state court then after 5 years appealed to federal district court and about $$ 265,000 in legall fees latter , before reaching the US SUPREAM COURT if the court would hear it ....The best deal he could have expected was 50-50 :

He could take the money back from the kids legaly but not from his ex-wife ...but whats this old b... [ More ]

Comment #24

RJOh — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 00:49:11 GMT

Why not, people who only shared a booty call have sued why not a spouse

Comment #23

Guru101 — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 00:38:42 GMT

Do you think anyone would sue their spouse if their spouse won a jackpot immediately after the divorce

Comment #22

RJOh — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 00:34:06 GMT

A California woman tried that a few years ago. She was in an office pool that won the lottery and since her husband wasn't working and she didn't want to support him, she divorced him before he found out about her lottery winnings. She was fine for a year until he found out about it (she was doing too good without him) so he went back to court to redo their divorce settlement and the judge was so mad at her deceit that he ordered her to give it all to her ex-husband. I think she appealed that... [ More ]

Comment #21

psykomo — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 00:01:35 GMT

EQUAL for ...................................................................................!!!!

Boooooooooooooooouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuyyyyyyyyyy'ssssss

or>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

or>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

GULL$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

................................ [ More ]

Comment #20

LuckyLilly — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 23:39:17 GMT

Or they could get their butts hauled back to court (and maybe jail?) for attempting to conceal assets. If you live in a state where there's no anonymity, you know the ex is gonna find out.

Comment #19

psykomo — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 23:33:46 GMT

GULL's not Stupid

FESS-up BOUY's>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

WHAT are the GULL's>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

GOOD FOR

Comment #18

Guru101 — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 23:15:16 GMT

Wouldn't the spouse only get half if you already claimed it? Lets say you won a big jackpot, but you haven't claimed it yet, and you get a divorce, then you claimed it. I mean, if you haven't claimed it yet, there wouldn't be anything to show a huge income accumulation. Just keep the ticket hidden until the divorce is over

Comment #17

LuckyLilly — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 23:02:43 GMT

Yep, all it would have taken was to get divorced before he or she started shacking up with anyone else. Then he wouldn't have felt the need to offer to split the jackpot with his girlfriend in order to keep it away from his estranged wife, and he could have kept the whole thing instead of 25%.

I wonder if he still has any of it left? He doesn't seem to be the type to plan for the future or to make good decisions.

Comment #16

OldSchoolPa — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 22:32:21 GMT

justxploring:

Yeah, I know in some camps what I am doing might be considered foul play...doing anything that one must keep a secret from their spouse...but in discussions like this with my wife, we have agreed that their are times when we have to agree to disagree and keep loving each other. However, she was really adamant THAT I NOT PLAY the lottery...kind of like she was commanding me as though I were a child. Of course, you know what usually happens when you tell a child not to do someth... [ More ]

Comment #15

justxploring — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 22:06:02 GMT

It's really none of my business OldSchool. I am certainly no expert when it comes to marriages. I just would never keep a secret like that from my spouse.

Anyway, I think your wife may be much smarter than you think. If you are self-employed and use Form 1040 along with Form SE and Schedule C, etc., it would be next to impossible to hide what you won only because you wouldn't be showing that income on those forms. I see you already thought of that. Depends on your relationship anyway. M... [ More ]

Comment #14

RJOh — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 22:05:58 GMT

When his wife became estranged and started shacking up with another guy he should have divorced her then but that's what happens when a person doesn't take care of those legal things in a timely manner.

If he wasn't planning on having a family with any those women then he would have been better off to have just played house and that way he could have just moved on when he won the lottery and kept it all.

Comment #13

RJOh — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 21:38:57 GMT

At the time Ohio had the best game in the area, its jackpot increased $4M or more after every drawings if no one won so people from all five surrounding states played and often won. Then Ohio decided that the maximum amount it would pay on a single ticket was $20M regardless of the jackpot size because some lawmakers thought more than $20M was more than a single player deserved and out of state players stopped playing. Before Ohio got rid of that rules the other states lotteries became more po... [ More ]

Comment #12

LuckyLilly — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 17:30:32 GMT

I disagree that it should have been all his. Legally, half belonged to his estranged wife. Then he had to go and try to cheat her out of her share by involving a person who would not have had a claim otherwise, and the fool ended up with only half of his share.

I think justice was served, and if I were his estranged/ex-wife wife, I'd be laughing my ass off everytime I enjoyed spending my full share.

Just one more reason to see a GOOD attorney before hopping off to cash the ticket.

Comment #11

OldSchoolPa — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 17:23:40 GMT

RJOH: you mean to tell me that Ohio had a SuperLotto similar to California's Superlotto...starting at $7 million and increasing with each rollover just slightly less so than MM or PB? What happened?! I see your current lotto is getting up there, but it can't compare with CA SuperLotto.

Comment #10

tnlotto1 — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 17:21:21 GMT

that story is a nightmare because he had to give money to people who didnt want him anymore... but at least like the person above me said he has a quarter of the jackpot...

Comment #9

OldSchoolPa — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 17:20:37 GMT

I wouldn't be trying to hide assets...oh my wife would know that our investment account would be huge...she would just think that I found a nice line of wealthy clients and businesses in my line of work...she would never know were the proceeds came from...yes, I know I would have to file taxes and that the lottery commission would send me a W-2G with Lottery Commission clearly printed on the outside of the envelop...that is why I would direct all lottery commission mail to a newly opened Post... [ More ]

Comment #8

OldSchoolPa — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 17:13:56 GMT

This is why I wouldn't tell my wife...not that we would get a divorce...I do not fear that...rather it is the point that she doesn't believe that I am still playing the lottery...so if I told her I (we) had won, she would know that I had not stopped playing the lottery. In this case, this guy brought this all upon himself...sucker! But at least he is a 1/4 Ohio SuperLotto jackpot sucker...better that than a never have won the jackpot sucker

Comment #7

RJOh — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 15:59:04 GMT

I remember years ago when Ohio SuperLotto had $50M+ jackpots, a guy from Pennsylvania and his wife had drifted apart and was pretty much living their own lives happily with no problems until he won the Ohio lottery jackpot of $60M. His wife had shacked up with some guy and he claimed his girlfriend/co-worker was a co-owner of his winning ticket thinking he would avoid splitting his winnings with his estrange wife. His wife went to court and divorced him and also got half of his share of the wi... [ More ]

Comment #6

jeffrey — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 15:43:22 GMT

Money creates many options. Unfortunately, many couples stay together for financial reasons. Excess funds give people the option of looking for more personal happiness; hence, they divorce. It may be for the best.

Comment #5

justxploring — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 14:52:11 GMT

I know Old School is joking, but it doesn't matter whether someone's spouse approves or disapproves of the lottery or what a person tells his/her spouse. Although the Law in each state is different, if 2 people are legally married when the ticket is purchased, then it usually is considered to be joint property. Sure it's very possible to hide assets, and many people do, but that means you are lying on a legal document about them. You can always get a cheap no-contest divorce, but it's still l... [ More ]

Comment #4

Coin Toss — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 13:47:54 GMT

OlsSchoolPa

...she doesn't condone me playing it, so since she doesn't know I still play it,...

If she's lurking on this board she knows now...

Sorry, but just couldn't resist

Comment #3

tnlotto1 — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 13:33:18 GMT

im single and i dont have any kids but it sounds like winning the lottery does put a strain on a few relationships.

Comment #2

OldSchoolPa — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 12:59:16 GMT

Although my wife and I have made a pact that we will never consider divorce as an option in our relationship, this is exactly why men and women who play the lottery absent their spouses participation should keep any win secret. Just kidding. But actually I wouldn't tell my wife if I ever won the lottery...she doesn't condone me playing it, so since she doesn't know I still play it, she doesn't need to know when I win it either. Great logic don't you think?! Well, hopefully for this guy he is... [ More ]

Comment #1

chasingadream — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 12:42:56 GMT

lol bless his lil heart.....he tried

Vancouver lottery winner loses in divorce case

Lottery Post — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 12:36:18 GMT

A $10 million lottery windfall brought an estranged Vancouver couple back together.

But eight years later, the marriage wound up in divorce court with a sticky issue to be resolved: What should be done with $2.2 million in an account the husband claimed was for his personal use?

In granting their divorce last week, B.C. Supreme Court Justice Heather Holmes ruled the $2.2 million must be split between Minh Kien Le, 58, and his ex-wife, Mai Huong Cao, 55.

The couple escaped with their two... [ More ]