Mega Millions winner sued by family after not sharing $1.35 billion jackpot

You might think that winning one of the biggest lottery jackpots in US history would spell an end to your money woes.

But one man, who scooped a staggering $1.35 billion (more than £1 billion), has been slapped with a likely costly lawsuit by his own family.

The unidentified winner, who bought his golden Mega Millions ticket in Lebanon, Maine, in January last year, has been in a legal battle with the mother of his daughter since November. And now, his own dad is weighing in on the dispute.

They are accusing him of reneging on his promise to share his spoils with them, including setting up a million-dollar trust fund and covering medical expenses for his father.

He, meanwhile, has accused his ex-partner of violating a non-disclosure agreement by telling the rest of the family about his newfound wealth before their daughter’s 18th birthday (in 2032).

However, new court filings, obtained by The Daily Beast, reveal a plot twist in the saga.

The mum, identified by the pseudonym Sara Smith, claims he was, in fact, the one who told his relatives about the historic win, not her.

The man’s dad has seconded this, insisting that his son not only told them about his windfall but also boasted of all the things he planned to do with the cash.

The man bought his ticket at Hometown Gas and Grill in Lebanon, Maine(CBS News)

“[In] February or March of 2023, my son came to my house … and informed me and my wife that he won a large amount of money in the Maine State Lottery,” his father wrote in the court documents, according to The Independent.

“I understand that my son has stated that he told me nothing about his money ‘other than the simple fact that I had won,’” the dad wrote. “That is not true.”

He claims he didn’t ask for any money, but said his son pledged to treat him and his stepmother to a whole host of high-value gifts.

These allegedly included building his father a garage to fix up old cars, buying his childhood home, and funding future medical expenses for his dad and stepmum.

The man also allegedly demanded that his father cut ties with Smith, instructing him never to speak to her again, despite the fact she’s his granddaughter’s mother.

This did not sit well with his dad, who said he told him: “You are not the son I knew.”

This prompted the son to “get angry” and call him a “dictator” and an “a**hole,” he wrote in the filing.

“I have not heard from my son since, and he has not done any of [the] things he promised.”

Suffice it to say, the son claims to remember things differently.

“I made the mistake of telling my father that I had won the lottery without having him sign a confidentiality agreement,” the lotto winner wrote in his own court filings.

“Our relationship deteriorated quickly thereafter,” he continued.

“I did not tell him what I was doing with my money, how I was going to benefit my daughter, or any facts other than the simple fact that I had won.”

He also accused Smith of trying to reveal his identity to the world, and said she accused him of trying to kidnap their child after he wouldn’t pay for her boyfriend and her to go on holiday.

Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter

Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings