Third suit filed against Powerball lottery winner

Sep 3, 2004, 8:41 am (3 comments)

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Equine Protection of North America director Ron Levesque has become the third party to file suit against the groups co-founder and Powerball lottery winner Mary Ellen Sanderson.

Cherokee Lane resident Ronald Levesque, who helped found the nonprofit horse rescue dubbed EPONA with Sanderson in 1999, charges that she failed to honor a 25-year employment contract granting him $75,000 per year as payment for his services as the manager of Dungarvin Farm, which is owned by Sanderson. In 1997, Sanderson and then-husband Jason Sanderson of Newfields won a 1997 Powerball jackpot worth $66 million.

According to documents filed in June in Rockingham County Superior Court, Sanderson and Levesque entered into the contract in April 2002. Levesques attorney, Daniel Schwarz, said his client was initially friends with Sanderson and worked for her for about 18 months, but by summer 2003 she had informed Levesque that he was relieved of his duties and would no longer receive his annual lump-sum salary.

Levesque, who is seeking unspecified damages, acknowledged the suit on Wednesday but deferred comment to his attorney. Schwarz said Sanderson almost immediately got behind in her promised payments to Levesque, who discontinued a successful floral business to work at Dungarvin Farm.

Whether he was fired or not is an academic question, Schwarz said on Wednesday. The point is, she signed a contract . . . and then made it clear to (Levesque) that he was not getting another check after Dec. 18, 2003.

Sandersons attorney, Mark Rouvalis, responded that Schwarz had mismanaged (Sandersons) affairs while under her employ, resulting in a situation where their working relationship could not persist. Rouvalis did not make reference to any specific examples where Schwarz is alleged to have poorly managed Sandersons finances.

To the extent that he was in charge of her affairs . . . he had a fiduciary responsibility to manage her affairs in a responsible manner, Rouvalis said.

Sanderson is also being sued by EPONA for failing to follow through with a promise donation of $70,000 per year. Additionally, she and her ex-husband are being sued in Arizonas Pima County Superior Court by Oasis Sanctuary Ltd., an exotic bird rescue in Cascabel, Ariz.

Like the EPONA suit, Sanderson is accused of having failed to provide the sanctuary with a promised annual donation of $100,000. Rouvalis, who also represents Mr. Sanderson in the Oasis suit, said that even with a signed contract, no one can be forced to make a charitable donation. He has called for the dismissal of the Oasis suit due to lack of jurisdiction, but has not yet responded to Levesques charge.

In both of these cases (Oasis and EPONA), you cant force someone to make a charitable gift thats a voluntary undertaking, he said. Regardless of the written documentation . . . we dont think that these are binding contracts.

Union Leader

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tg636

Whew. What is with the insane 25 year contracts this woman has signed? As the person with the money, she is the one with the power over those who want the money...so why is she legally obligating herself for such a long time and giving them grounds to sue if she cuts off the cash supply? It doesn't make any sense to me.

CASH Only

Sanderson probably "won" before the PB cash option began in November 1997. This problem might not be happening if she were able to collect in lump sum.

fja's avatarfja

man she was tossing 25 yr contracts out there like chicken feed.....wonder why they got a divorce?

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