Winners Come Forward To Claim Share Of $1.6B Powerball Jackpot 6 Months After Winning
CHINO HILLS (CBSLA.com) — The winners of the largest lottery prize in California history had come forward to claim their share, six months after winning a third of the $1.6 billion Powerball jackpot, lottery officials announced Tuesday.
Marvin and Mae Acosta purchased their winning ticket at the 7-Eleven at 4092 Chino Hills Parkway in Chino Hills.
Big #Powerball news from the #CALottery! pic.twitter.com/bJYlGEiDRA
— California Lottery (@calottery) July 19, 2016
They showed up in Van Nuys Friday with a security guard, an attorney and a financial adviser to claim their prize after spending months planning how to spend their new fortune, lottery officials said.
"Even after all this time, they were still in awe at the moment. I think someone said that the wife, Mae, was still a little shaky about the whole thing. I mean it's a life-changing amount of money," said California Lottery spokesman Alex Traverso.
The couple's Powerball ticket was among three sold for the Jan. 13 jackpot of nearly $1.6 billion. The other two tickets were sold in
Tennessee and Florida.
The Acostas' share is $528.8 million. They opted to take a lump sum of $327.8 million before taxes.
They couple declined all requests for media interviews and did not wish to have any more information or any photos released, California Lottery officials said.
The couple did release a statement saying: "We are thankful and blessed for the rare gift that has been placed in our care. We have engaged a team of advisors to educate and guide us through this process so that we can be good stewards of these new resources. While many decisions are still to be made, we have committed nearly all of this new resource to a Trust and to charities that are important to us. While we are very grateful for the wonderful wishes and encouragement we've received, it is not our intention to become public figures, and we ask for and appreciate privacy going forward. Thank you."
Before coming forward, the Acostas did as California Lottery officials advise all their winners to do – read the Winner's Handbook and assemble a team of legal and financial advisers.
"We couldn't be happier for them and are thrilled they took the time to assemble the right team before coming in to claim," California Lottery Director Hugo Lopez said in a statement.
The Acostas and their children reportedly moved out of their Corona-area home just before the announcement was made.
Neighbors said the family was friendly but moved out of the neighborhood without saying goodbye.
The nearly $1.6 billion jackpot on Jan. 13 was the largest in U.S. lottery history.