An Ohio woman on Tuesday collected a $162 million Mega Millions lottery prize, saying the winning ticket was in her hands all along and had not been lost, as another woman had claimed.
Rebecca Jemison, 34, of South Euclid, Ohio, near Cleveland, produced the winning ticket and was awarded the prize. She elected to take a one-time $94 million payment rather than collecting the larger amount over a number of years.
The jackpot in a multi-state drawing had gone unclaimed since Dec. 30. On Monday news leaked out that a woman had filed a police report saying she lost the ticket outside the store where it was purchased.
Elecia Battle, 40, said she was sure the ticket she lost when she dropped her purse was the winner. The disclosure prompted a number of people to descend on the area near the store to search for the supposedly missing piece of paper.
But Jemison told a news conference when she claimed the prize that she had played the winning combination of numbers previously.
"I knew the proof I had," she said. While she was angered at first that someone else was claiming the ticket was their's, she said, in the end "It didn't bother me at all."
She said the report of the lost ticket prompted her to come forward to claim the prize, and lottery officials said they believed she was the legitimate winner.
Ron Kuntz/Reuters
Rebecca Jamison, with her husband Sam, hold a mock check for $162 million after claiming she had the winning numbers in Cleveland, January 6, 2004. An Ohio woman collected a $162 million lottery prize, saying the winning ticket was in her hands all along and had not been lost, as another woman had claimed.
You know what they say "the love of money is the root of all evil". It is unfortunate the woman who claimed she lost the ticket had people searching in the cold at night for a ticket she never lost. I am happy for the couple that won and that they could prove they actually purchased the ticket.
Quote:Originally posted by luckycat on January 07, 2004
I give the possibility she really did lose the ticket:
its possible rebecca's husband found the ticket and was the guy wlking in and id as having thw win ticket and walked out. so why is she claiming it.
maybe just maybe her husband actually found it, and mrs. battle really lost it. as said.
never judge a book by its cover.
Hi lucky cat,
your half right about this story i know someone who knows ms jemisons husband sam, and someone could go to the press with this if they wanted too, you can't judge a book by its cover, your right I know some things that would have you thinking I found this info out from my husband he knows someone that goes to our church that knows her husband sam personally, all i have too say is that she shouldn't went on tv and said she lied I can't leak this information out on the internet thats all im going to say for now.
You know what they say "the love of money is the root of all evil". It is unfortunate the woman who claimed she lost the ticket had people searching in the cold at night for a ticket she never lost. I am happy for the couple that won and that they could prove they actually purchased the ticket.
I give the possibility she really did lose the ticket:
its possible rebecca's husband found the ticket and was the guy wlking in and id as having thw win ticket and walked out. so why is she claiming it.
maybe just maybe her husband actually found it, and mrs. battle really lost it. as said.
never judge a book by its cover.
sorry luckycat, I've seen the cover of this book way to often,,,,
Hi lucky cat,
your half right about this story i know someone who knows ms jemisons husband sam, and someone could go to the press with this if they wanted too, you can't judge a book by its cover, your right I know some things that would have you thinking I found this info out from my husband he knows someone that goes to our church that knows her husband sam personally, all i have too say is that she shouldn't went on tv and said she lied I can't leak this information out on the internet thats all im going to say for now.