Photo is unrelated to the article. [Getty Images Bank]
Photo is unrelated to the article. [Getty Images Bank]

A woman in the United States won a lottery prize worth about 8.5 billion won ($5.73 million) just three weeks after her divorce was finalized — and after a prolonged legal battle with her ex-husband, she kept every cent.

According to US media outlets including ABC News, the Rhode Island Supreme Court ruled that ex-husband Daniel Monteiro, 56, has no legal claim to the $5.8 million instant lottery prize won by Anna Varela, 48.

The two married in 2007 but later separated. When Varela filed for divorce in February 2020, she told the court they had already been living apart for more than three years.

With courts operating under COVID-19 restrictions at the time, the couple appeared via video without attorneys and handled the divorce proceedings themselves. The process went relatively smoothly.

Their divorce agreement stated that all assets had been divided and that there were no jointly owned real estate or debts. They also agreed to share joint custody of their two children.

The divorce appeared settled, but the situation changed when Varela won the $5.8 million instant lottery prize just weeks after it was finalized.

In November 2020, Varela collected her winnings, choosing a lump sum of about $3.75 million rather than receiving payments over time.

When Monteiro learned of the windfall, he filed a lawsuit seeking to void the divorce, arguing that an administrative processing error during the COVID-19 period meant the divorce had never been legally finalized. He then called for a share of the prize money, arguing that since the couple had still been legally married when Varela bought the ticket, the winnings should be considered marital property.

The Supreme Court rejected his argument. The court ruled that the divorce had been legally finalized in October 2020 and that Varela had purchased the lottery ticket more than 20 days after that date. It added that even if an administrative error had occurred, it could not undo a divorce that had already taken effect. The winnings were therefore recognized as Varela's personal property rather than marital assets, bringing the years-long legal dispute to a close.


choigo@heraldcorp.com