DES MOINES, Ia.—
The claim on a $14.3 million Hot Lotto jackpot has been withdrawn by the lawyer who says he represents a trust that possessed the ticket.The winning Hot Lotto ticket was purchased in December of 2010 at a Des Moines Quik Trip. Then on December 29th of last year, a New York lawyer came forward with the winning ticket two hours before the prize would have been forfeited.
The attorney, Crawford Shaw, signed the ticket on behalf of a trust, Hexham Investments. When Shaw tried to collect on behalf of his client, the lottery said it needed to know the winner's name and details on where the ticket had been for the last year.
Iowa Lottery CEO Terry Rich says, "The question is 'What the hell?' what is going on here. From the beginning we knew it was a unique case."
Shaw was given a deadline of 3:00 p.m. Friday to give the lotto that info. But Thursday, Crawford Shaw informed the lottery that Hexham Investments was withdrawing its claim on the ticket and surrendering millions of dollars in winnings.
Terry Rich says this case proves that state laws designed to make sure the right person gets the money really work.
Attorneys representing Hexham Investments asked the money be given to charity, but state law requires it to be put in an unclaimed ticket fund to be paid out in later drawings.
We may not have heard the last of this case. The DCI and the Iowa Attorney General's Office have opened an investigation.
