A California woman has sued her son and accused him of making off with her $51 million Mega Millions lottery ticket, and then racking up expenses on houses, cars, and cash gifts.
The legal dispute between Etta May Urquhart, 76, and her son Ronnie Orender, who had been a truck driver, centers on who owns the ticket. She admits he signed it, but she is the one who lottery officials acknowledge bought the slip of paper.
In May 2011, Urquhart went to her local Mobil gas station in Bakersfield, about 100 miles north of Los Angeles, to buy a few lottery tickets with her retirement income, as was her habit, according to the lawsuit filed last week in California state court.
She later checked her Mega Millions ticket against the numbers in a newspaper, and saw she had won, the lawsuit said. Urquhart and her husband, Orender's stepfather, later went with Orender to the Mobil station where they met with lottery officials.
"Lottery officials requested the winning ticket be signed," the lawsuit said. "Etta May was overcome with emotions, she could barely talk and her body was shaking badly. Given her condition, Etta May asked Orender to sign the ticket on her behalf."
But as it turns out Orender "signed the winning ticket in his own name and not on behalf of Etta May," the lawsuit said.
Later, he suggested that due to the "magnitude of the situation, and the likely attention and pressures" from family, friends and strangers, Etta May should "tell others that she bought the ticket for Orender," the lawsuit said.
She agreed to the plan, according to the lawsuit, filed April 23 in Kern County. Orender ultimately opted to take a lump sum cash payment of $32.3 million, and planned to "take care of his parents and other family as well," a statement last year from Mega Millions said.
The statement also quoted Orender's stepfather, Bob Urquhart, joking that "we're going to spend it," in response to a question about plans for the money. Bob Urquhart is a co-plaintiff in the lawsuit filed by his wife.
Last year's Mega Millions statement about the winning ticket said, "It was actually Orender's mother, Etta Urquhart, who took his $2 and bought two Mega Millions tickets at Stuarts Oak Street Mobil in Bakersfield."
The lawsuit said Orender invested the winnings and receives monthly income, and that he spent $2.3 million to buy four houses in Bakersfield. He also bought 10 vehicles and made "cash gifts of several hundred thousands of dollars."
The lawsuit seeks compensatory damages of at least $32.3 million, the sum of the cash prize Orender claimed, in addition to punitive damages. Orender could not be reached for comment on Friday.
Russ Lopez, a spokesman for the California Lottery said he had no comment on the lawsuit.
She went into a feeding frenzy with an UNSIGNED TICKET?
HRH Todd - You should facilitate a course.
Why did she feel she had to go public (Dog and Pony Show)? If she was that overwhlemed she should have taken a few weeks to confer with consultants (investment/tax/legal). It will prove a hell of a lot cheaper than the attorneys they have representing them now!
Plan to win and have a plan!!!
What a dysfunctional family!!!
This story should be good for a few laughs as it plays out.I'm guessing that we'll see more of these folks on "How The Lottery Ruined My Life."
"Why did she feel she had to go public (Dog and Pony Show)?"
There's something really bizarre about that part of the story. There's no way the lottery had her doing the publicity thing before the ticket was claimed through the usual process, so why was she meeting lottery officials at the gas station with a ticket that wasn't signed, and therefore must not have been presented to lottery officials yet? I saw another article that makes it sound like she checked the numbers and then went to the gas station, perhaps to confirm the numbers ar have a clerk check the ticket. That makes it sound like she bumped into the lottery officials by chance, which might explain them telling her she should sign the ticket. That still leaves the question of why she would have the son sign it instead of her husband, or why she couldn't wait for a few minutes. There's also the question of why these lottery officials would tell her to sign the ticket and then stand around while her son signs his name on it.
At any rate, if her story is true there should be some lottery officials who can confirm most of her version.
If I had a son like that I'd knock him into next week.
She later checked her Mega Millions ticket against the numbers in a newspaper, and saw she had won, the lawsuit said.
Once Mrs. Urquhart saw that this was a winning ticket, why didn't Mrs. Urquhart and/or Mr. Urquhart, her husband sign the ticket?
Urquhart and her husband, Orender's stepfather, later went with Orender to the Mobil station where they met with lottery officials.
"Lottery officials requested the winning ticket be signed," the lawsuit said. "Etta May was overcome with emotions, she could barely talk and her body was shaking badly. Given her condition, Etta May asked Orender to sign the ticket on her behalf."
Why did the meeting take place at the Mobil station instead of the lottery offices? So not understanding that.
Why didn't Mrs. Urquhart tell her husband to sign the ticket? After all Mr. Urquhart (husband) was there with them and it would've made sense for the husband to sign the ticket since the wife was too emotional to sign it. Or better yet, wait until the wife had calmed down enough to sign the tickert herself.
But as it turns out Orender "signed the winning ticket in his own name and not on behalf of Etta May," the lawsuit said.
Later, he suggested that due to the "magnitude of the situation, and the likely attention and pressures" from family, friends and strangers, Etta May should "tell others that she bought the ticket for Orender," the lawsuit said.
She agreed to the plan, according to the lawsuit, filed April 23 in Kern County. Orender ultimately opted to take a lump sum cash payment of $32.3 million, and planned to "take care of his parents and other family as well," a statement last year from Mega Millions said.
Why did Mr. and Mrs. Urquhart agree to Mr. Orender's plan instead of correcting the mistake at the lottery office? Had the Urquharts spoke up once the mistake was discovered, the problem could have been corrected and things could've been back to normal by now.
What it sounds like, PERDUE, is that she had complete faith and trust in her son.
And then found out he's really a jerk.
But Ridge, WHY didn't she ask her HUSBAND to sign the ticket?
He was RIGHT THERE!!
The husband could've signed her name and they would'nt be in this mess.
Why not wait until she calmed down and sign the ticket herself?
It's not like they only had 10 minutes left before the ticket expired?
She could've signed the ticket when she checked the numbers in the newspaper.
All she had to do is flip the ticket over and sign her name.
This woman doesn't strike me as someone who's short mentally.
Trust or no trust girlie girl wouldn't be in this mess if she had signed the ticket herself.
This story is like the Willis-Willis nightmare all over again.
If she raised him, she should have known he was a jerk. People don't just all of a certain become a jerk.
That's true... but aren't there degrees of jerk-dom? My eldest child personifies ... everything I raised my kids NOT to be, but REALLY didn't show her true colors until she had some of what she considered "power", then she really went full-throttle... and no one expected what happened.
So what could have happened is that mom knew his proclivities, just not the degree to which he would succumb; or mom was just sadly blind to who/what her child was. In the latter case, YIKES! why oh WHY didn't she have her dh sign!!! (that has to be the question that she continually has going around in her brain. not to mention the question that her dh is continually asking her morning/noon and night!)
A Mother's love is blind. Happens all the time. She got her eyes opened now, that's for sure. However, I bet she is still making excuses for him.
As to why didn't she have her husband sign? It could be that she wanted her children to be the ones to inherit later, not his. In this world of extended families, there exists a conundrum for older remarrieds regarding inheritance for their children from earlier marriages. Maybe she does not get along with his kids from an earlier marriage and did not wish for them to benefit from her winnings.
Lessons learned: don't go to the place you bought the ticket to verify winnings. Verify yourself, then go to the lottery office after you have consulted an attorney, et al.
That sorry no good Ba*****!!!!!
I think it's easy to analyze from our perspective and maybe she would have shared our opinions if she wasn't at ground zero of this event.
I think she's probably just a very excitable woman who wasn't thinking clearly at the time. Things were moving too fast for her. In hindsight she'd probably do all the things you suggest and she's probably driving herself nuts now with second-guessing and regrets.
Maybe there's some kind of friction between her husband and her son that affected her decisions too, who knows?
It's just hard to imagine a mother and son not being able to come to terms on this without involving a bunch of sleazy lawyers. They're probably licking their chops on this one.
LOL... I would be in jail...
I think we've all known jerks who had mothers who thought they did no wrong, who thought the sun rose at their beck and call.
I know I have.
Sign it when you buy it.
That would have definitely solved this problem! (and welcome to Lottery Post mrylndw)
Thank you!
Some people do even when they are buying them as gifts for others.
Money changes people RJOh
I have never understood that mentality. One of my colleagues got a 'gift' of a lottery ticket that was signed by the giver. We all kinda looked at it perplexed.
What kind of a gift is that? One with strings?
Welcome to the LP mrylndw
This dude had a plan!
If he had his mother's interest at heart he would have ensured she signed that ticket before they left to meet with lottery officials. Instead he was the one according to the report that discouraged her from signing it so she could avoid the barage of requests that would come as a result of this very PUBLIC WIN
He's an opportunist with no scruples and mother or stranger he would take advantage of any chance that came his way. Here he is living HIGH OFF THE HOG and clearly wasn't doing any thing to ensure ease of living for the ACTUAL WINNER
Yep!!!!
here comes another story about how winning the lottery broke up a family
but how could a son do that to his own mother?
Lottery officials witnessed the signing of the ticket and were present when Etta May was too shocked to function. There are people who
saw what happened that day. I think the son is in for a rude awakening.
Her husband probably thought it was a good idea for her son to sign it also. Really, in all that excitement, who is thinking about the
technicalities? It's easy to say: don't do this, don't do that but the thrill of it all and trust in family sometimes makes all of what you should
be doing and thinking a blur. Many times when a person thinks never in a million years...they should be thinking I wouldn't put it past them.
They probably trusted it would work out in the end and probably didn't think anything like this would happen. Instead, the son now has control
of the money.
I'm sure when all the details come out, a reversal of fortune will take place.
Money doesn't change people as much as it exposes their character.
It been said that money and power corrupt people but I think corrupt people are exposed when they get money and power.
There use to be a TV ad that said "Don't leave your keys in your car and help a good kid go bad" and I would think "what 'good kid' goes around looking for keys in cars to steal?"
Totally agree. You have developed your "character" throughout your entire life by the decisions, and morality stands you affirm.
The money just pushes all that under a microscope for all to see. It may or may not be a pretty sight.
Seasoned lottery players who would know step by step exactly what to do are the ones that rarely win!
It would be nice to see one of the L.P. members win a large sum....Then maybe announce the win on here. Have Todd do an indepth interview from start to present on their plans just after finding out the won - versus - actual actions taken. While I do support anonymity, I would enjoy reading that kind of story. These kind of stories just reiterate the lack of intelligence and morality that runs amuck in this country......A fool and their money are soon departed
That would be wonderful - having Todd do the interview here at Lottery Post.
Winning a lottery jackpot worth millions of dollars is a once in a life time experience even for seasoned lottery players. The only thing a seasoned player might know more about is cashing in tickets. The rest would be common sense and there's no indication that season lottery players have more of that than anyone else.
I do it all the time. That way I eliminate the stress for the recepient of having to decide whether they are going to be a decent person and share some of the winnings with me after I bought them a ticket that made them wealthy and also the almost suicidal thoughts that would be going through my head thinking I bought a ticket worth millions of dollars and then gave it away.
If you have a problem with splitting millions of dollars with me for the low low cost of nothing on your part, then feel free to hand me back the ticket I purchased and we can part ways. That just shows me what kind of greedy individual you are and that I was right to sign my name on the ticket. And if you are wondering, if someone gives me a ticket I insist they sign their name on it also or I sign it for them. Keeps everone honest and no one can say I am a hypocrite.
If a son can screw over his old mother than anyone is capable of anything.
Not necessarily!
Geez, VenomV12, we STILL think it is time for you to buy people gifts that have NOTHING to do with the lottery or raffles!
Etta May was shaking badly and was overcome with emotions.Wow.Etta could have at least signed the back of that lottery ticket with a big " X ",witnessed by the lottery officials.
She was busy signing AUTOGRAPHS! She delegated that menial task to her son.
Perhaps Etta has mid-level Alzheimers or Dementia.
If a lottery winner of several $M, net, wants to share their fortune, they should sign their own name and invite 2-5 additional people (or create a corporation, LLC, charity, foundation, etc.to sign the ticket). Even if it takes one month to decide the names, and how to fit on the tiny space at the back of the lottery ticket and the official claim form!
It is selfish (and ultimately mean spirited) for winning jackpot lottery ticket holders to pull people into the 'peak psychology' by inviting them to rush to check, verify, and/or claim the winning lottery ticket 'holding their hand;' yet infer that they are not worthy to share any of the monies officially -- by not inviting them to add their own name to the back of the lottery ticket and the official Claim Form. It's not as if the lottery ticket holder has to assign their loved ones/teammates the same percentage $ amount, every name could be assigned a different amount, for example. After all the signing is done, all of the signers can have their last look at the forms that show ALL OF THEIR NAMES present! In fact, someone take a picture with everybody holding a pen around the signed ticket back ... for posterity.
I hope that Etta is simply an ill woman, rather than a rude, mean, selfish, or stupid one! Didn't she know that she wouldn't be able to "gift" more than $1M net (this limit can be raised and it can be lowered by our senators without much notice) within her lifetime? That gifting limit that isn't much money at a max of $13K allowed per person per year!
I don't think that the amount Etta and her husband are complaining to receive is the correct amount ... because they failed to deduct the 25%+ Income Taxes that her son Ronnie has already paid to the Federal Government. That was a hefty tax!
Remember the first time I held a billion dollars worth of checks in my hand at one time.
I was completely terrified. No these were not my checks but the idea of holding that much money in my hand was an extremely overwhelming event.
I remember laying the checks down on my desk, getting up and going on a one hour break to get my anxiety under control.
My hands were shaking.
I had double vision.
I felt like I was gonna hurl.
My heart was racing.
My knees were wobbly.
I had shortness of breath.
So yes I can understand how the Mrs. felt at that moment once it was official in her head that her ticket was the winning ticket.
What I don't understand is the lottery officials witnessed this and didn't say ok let's take a break and give you time to absorb the impact of being a jackpot winner.
If they witnessed her telling her son to sign her name on the ticket, then why did they process the ticket into his name?
All of my questions are "Why did?" and "Why didn't?" because I really want to understand the logic of the decisions made that led up to this nightmare, not judge the decision makers in this pitiful drama.
I know the feeling. I got it once when I mistakenly thought I had matched all 6 numbers in the Ohio Lottery for an $18M jackpot.
Some how when I updated my data file I also added the winning numbers to my play file and when I checked the play file and saw a line of red numbers I almost fainted.(numbers that match the numbers in the data file turn high lite red and if the date matches it turns yellow).
I rechecked everything three times before actually checking the tickets, that when I found out the winning numbers were everywhere except on a single line of one of the tickets. It took a while for me to settle down but had it been for real I would have made sure I had settle down before leaving for the the nearest lottery office, no checking a jackpot winning ticket at the local gas station for me.
Yes it would be nice to see one of our LP family member win a large jackpot
Family members are suppose to help each others, right?
Since we all are just one big family, we could drop in any time and ask a favor, right?
I don't I would care to have members of LP knowing that I had ever won a large jackpot.
Who is WE? I did not realize that everyone here gave you authority to speak on their behalf as a collective. If so then I am impressed with your power and authority, you must truly be a great and powerful person.
If you have an issue with what I do then clearly you are one of the people that I am speaking of that would screw over the person who bought you a ticket, or perhaps their own mother.
I am not buying you anything so I am not so sure why you are so concerned about it anyway. It is my money and my business what I do with it and no one elses. I am sure if I buy anyone a ticket and they have to share millions of dollars, there will be no complaints on their end.
You stupid little gif below your comment showing fighting over a stick would not exist because of what I do. My signature is on it, the recipient's signature is on it, the lottery commission cuts two checks, end of story.
LOL - Venom - thanks for explaining your reasoning behind signing the ticket-gifts that you give. Quite frankly we (my small circle of associates) were quite puzzled and could not figure out any plausible potential reason behind it. While it's not something that I believe I would do... I also would not go bungee-jumping while I would/have gone spelunking. Different strokes for different folks.
if you cant trust family who can you trust
Have any of you guys seen the promos for Dallas?
"Blood is thicker than water but OIL is thicker than them both!"
Who is WE? I think WE is pretty much all of us here who happened to agree that you had to be a real cheapskate to give somebody a gift like that, the last time you brought it up.
I at first said I'd tell you to keep it but somebody else had a better idea: They said they'd go buy a ticket with the same numbers and throw away the original one, LOL.
That would make for some real poetic justice if those numbers won. And there wouldn't be a thing you could do about it either. It was a gift and they could say they didn't like your gift and threw it away. I would love to be there when they told you just to see the look on your face, LOL.
Nobody likes a conniving cheapskate. And that is a real weasel-like move.
And here they are: Etta May Urquhart! Seems like a nice family but I'm also surprised they didn't seek counsel first. I will not make that mistake for fear of this type of screw up.
I think the look on the old man's face as he looks at his step-son says a lot.
You're right Ridge, I didn't notice that before. The step dad is not smiling at all while looking at the step son. I hope this turns out right for this woman. It's a shame if the son is ripping her off. Greedy son of a ....
I've lived in Bakersfield the last 4 years and am not surprised. Most of the town is hillbilly USA except for a small part of it. They lived on the east side which is extremely poor so I'm not suprised the son is spending the money like crazy.
He's not grinning like the other two like he already knows how it's going to end up.
He looks like he is mad as H3LL! I think he knew how it would end also. Look how the son looks. He is laughing like crazy! I guess so, his "ship" finally came in. Bet he didn't give them anything and the husband has probably chewed her backside off for being an idiot!
Scary thought here-wonder if he would have taken their lives if he wouldn't have gotten the money.
I wouldn't throw away the original ticket...I'd burn it.That way there would be NO proof that it ever existed and the cheapskate wouldn't get a dime.Now THAT'S poetic justice!
Maybe she should have a V-8 ??? or as a result of how this played out maybe she should have had a lobotomy !!!
I think you meant to suggest TWO VALLIUM
Sounds like my kinda place.
Maybe you shouldn't have moved into a town with people you don't like.
Them are the Dust Bowl, Grapes of Wrath type people whose struggle is legendary.
I bet they're good people if you get to know them, unless years of California "government help" has taken it's toll.
I came here looking for something I couldn't find anywhere else
Hey, I'm not tryin' to be nobody I just want a chance to be myself
I've spent a thousand miles of thumbin'
Yes, I've worn blisters on my heels
Tryin' to find me something better
Here on the streets of Bakersfield
Hey, you don't know me but you don't like me
Say you careless how I feel
'Cause how many of you that sit and judge me
Ever walked the streets of Bakersfield?
Spent some time in San Francisco
I spent a night there in the can
They threw this drunk man in my jail cell
I took fifteen dollars from that man
Left him my watch and my old house key
Don't want folks thinkin' that I'd steal
Then I thanked him as he was leaving
And I headed out for Bakersfield
Hey, you don't know me but you don't like me
Say you careless how I feel
'Cause how many of you that sit and judge me
Ever walked the streets of Bakersfield?
~Buck Owens
The only downside to that is that you would be sharing the jackpot with an imaginary friend who over time woud never claim but half a jackpot is bettern than none assuming you were the only other person to be a part of the win!