Mum Ana Varela wins fight to keep $5.8m lottery winnings after ex-husband tried to get some of the loot
The Rhode Island Supreme Court has ruled that a woman is entitled to keep her $5.8 million lottery winnings after her ex-husband attempted to claim a share. The court determined that the couple's divorce was finalized before the winning ticket was purchased, rendering the prize separate property.
Why it matters
This case clarifies legal standards regarding marital assets and the finality of divorce proceedings in the context of unexpected windfalls.
A mum who won a $5.8 million lottery jackpot just weeks after her divorce has beaten her ex-husband in a bitter courtroom fight over the life-changing prize. Ana Varela will keep every cent of her windfall after the Rhode Island Supreme Court in the US ruled that her former husband Daniel Monteiro had no legal claim to the winning scratch ticket. Mr Monteiro argued that the couple’s divorce was not properly finalised because of paperwork errors during COVID-19, claiming the ticket may have been bought while they were still legally married. But the state’s highest court rejected the argument, ruling the divorce became final on October 8, 2020 — more than 20 days before Ms Varela bought the winning ticket. The judges found the administrative mistakes made by the court did not undo the divorce, meaning the $5.8 million prize was never part of the couple’s marital assets.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in