NY plumber wins $136M Powerball jackpot, splits it with son

Jun 7, 2015, 8:45 am (29 comments)

Powerball

A New York plumber and his son are multimillionaires after sitting on a winning Powerball ticket because they thought the jackpot had been won by a teacher.

Anthony Perosi of Staten Island says he was on his way to do an inspection March 14 when he stopped at the 7-Eleven where he always buys lottery tickets when he is in the area.

Perosi, 56, was at a bar a week later when another patron said the winning Powerball ticket had been won at that same 7-Eleven. The bartender, he says, told him it was a teacher who had won the $136 million jackpot.

"She says, 'Forget about it. You won nothing,'" Perosi said.

Perosi, who chose the winning numbers at random, pinned the ticket to a wall in his basement, where he keeps all of his lottery tickets.

It was only in April, some six weeks later, that Perosi had car trouble and was in his basement with time to spare.

"I said, 'Let me check those tickets...I didn't see anybody in the news or the paper that won,'" Perosi recalled. "The first one I checked, all the numbers matched.

"I'm looking at the computer and the ticket and the computer and the ticket," he said. "I went to breathe in and no air would go in. I was by myself and I said, 'Oh, my God, my heart has stopped."

Perosi says he began to walk in circles around his house — trailed by his three dogs — while he called his only child, 27-year-old Anthony Perosi III.

"I said, "Come over here immediately. Don't ask why. Just come over,'" Perosi said.

Father and son checked the numbers together and then began hysterically crying when they realized they were now multimillionaires.

"It was crazy," Perosi said.

The pair claimed their $136 million prize, in the form of an oversize check, at a news conference today with the New York Lottery's Yolanda Vega.

Perosi opted to take the winnings in a lump sum payment, and to split that payment with his namesake.

The younger Perosi, a salesman for a food service company, will take home $16.5 million after withholdings, according to New York Lottery officials.

"He's going to buy a nice car and wants to buy a new house and a house on the shore," Perosi said of his son, who also plans to keep working.

Perosi, a plumber for the past 38 years, says he plans to keep working too, "just maybe not as hard."

"There's really nothing I ever wanted, anything expensive, I'm not that type of person," said Perosi, whose net check will total $38.6 million. "I drive a Ford F-150 and I never had a need for a Bentley or a Rolls-Royce.

"I'm just a simple person," the Staten Island native said.

One purchase Perosi may need to make is a new cellphone to replace his flip phone.

"When I first won I got over 133 text messages and I don't text," Perosi said. "I didn't know that many people knew me.

"They all said, 'It couldn't happen to a nicer person,' which was very nice," he said.

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ABC

Comments

mypiemaster's avatarmypiemaster

Thumbs UpWay to go. Congratulations. You might want to keep working, but jealous and vindictive coworkers might make it very unpleasant for you. That's why the option of staying anonymous should always be on the table. With that kind of money, you can create your own job and give yourself any title your little heart desires. Who needs jealous coworkers?.

zephbe's avatarzephbe

Congrats to the winner and his son.  Now he can buy a new truck Smile

Gleno's avatarGleno

Glad to see that Tony did not throw away his ticket based of the comment from the bartender.

Wonder how many big winning tickets have been sold by the 7-11 Stores?

Congrats to the Perosi family.

music*'s avatarmusic*

Congratulations to Father & Son !!  Anthony Perosi II is a very generous father sharing 70/30 with his son Anthony Perosi III .  Party

rock_nc's avatarrock_nc

The younger Perosi, a salesman for a food service company, will take home $16.5 million after withholdings, according to New York Lottery officials.

Why would a young fellow, would want to keep working with that much money in his possession! Now his Father, a plumber for the past 38 years, says he plans to keep working too, "just maybe not as hard." 38.6 million dollars and going to continue to work! "SMH!! If I'd won that much, I would not be lifting a finger the rest of my life! I'd be traveling the USA! Then when I had seen all of America, I would head to Australia, Hawaii and places I have never been. Congrats to them both! It's their choice!

TheGameGrl's avatarTheGameGrl

to the victor goes the spoils.

some folks work for others, some to feed a family.

this guy seems grounded. 

Unsure why he bought a ticket if he had no real plan ahead. He won, so it goes.

BellasBMWLucki

I go to this store when out on the island,visiting mi familia, and nj. 

I am very happy for him! Love this 7/11 i played there last week or 2 when i won so many times one number (7320 straight)

and 732 (straight box over dozen times, and eight times(for 7320 etc.) just a great store,great people on the island,and i am very

VERY happy for a local guy winning here in S.I., NYPartyProof you really "can win"when you're  least expectin' to.

Felicidades!!!!

 

 

adios!

Lucky4Life's avatarLucky4Life

Anybody know how that works, him splitting it with his son? What are the tax implications?

noise-gate

Quote: Originally posted by Gleno on Jun 7, 2015

Glad to see that Tony did not throw away his ticket based of the comment from the bartender.

Wonder how many big winning tickets have been sold by the 7-11 Stores?

Congrats to the Perosi family.

A Bartender usually knows whose going through a divorce because of clients crying in their beer, whose sleeping with who..but giving advice about lottery wins...

myturn's avatarmyturn

I hope they will be strong enough to resist the pressure to "help" relatives.

 

Good luck to them!

haymaker's avatarhaymaker

You still want to work ?

C'mon you been pullin a Ridged wrench since you were 18 !

haymaker's avatarhaymaker

Quote: Originally posted by Lucky4Life on Jun 7, 2015

Anybody know how that works, him splitting it with his son? What are the tax implications?

Good ?

Both of their names are on the check so I guess they each pay the taxes on their own share.

myturn's avatarmyturn

"When I first won I got over 133 text messages and I don't text," Perosi said. "I didn't know that many people knew me."

 

Another reason to stay anonymous!

ThatScaryChick's avatarThatScaryChick

Congrats to Anthony Perosi and his son on their big win! Smile

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