Winner of $83.5M Jackpot to Get $35M Due to Lottery Couriers Scandal

Winning the lottery is what many people dream of, but for one woman from Texas, it became a huge hassle. As it turns out, the story will still have a somewhat happy ending.

Moriarty Will Get Her Prize, Just Not the Full One

Earlier this year, Kristen Moriarty, of Houston, won $83.5 million from the Texas Lottery. However, she had the misfortune of doing so amid ongoing scandals involving the lottery and the legality of lottery courier services. And, as fate had it, her ticket was purchased via a lottery courier.

As a result, the prize was frozen, exposing Moriarty to huge amounts of stress and forcing her to seek legal help. She eventually initiated a lawsuit against the embattled Texas Lottery Commission (TLC).

Moriarty felt unjustly targeted, especially considering that she had done no wrong. While the main scrutiny against lottery couriers was due to bulk purchases, she had never bought tickets in bulk and was just caught in the drama.

In an earlier interview, the woman admitted that the whole situation had really stressed her out, forcing her to take part in a political crossfire that was in no way relevant to her. Luckily, she seems to have reached an agreement with the TLC.

While Moriarty will not get the full sum she fairly won, the lottery agreed to pay out $45.8 million before taxes to her. After taxes, she will get approximately $35 million. While this is a far shot from the full $83.5 million prize, it is still very much a life-changing sum that can turn one’s life around.

Lottery Couriers Were Banned

In the meantime, Texas ended up disbanding the TLC. At the end of June, Governor Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill 3070 into law, effectively dissolving the commission and introducing sweeping changes to how the state’s lottery operates.

The decision came in response to mounting criticism related to a case in which a group managed to win a $95 million jackpot by buying nearly all of the 25.8 million possible combinations. This was made possible due to the convenience offered by lottery services.

The controversial jackpot resulted in strong backlash against the lottery and a ban on courier services. People argued that being able to buy out the tickets compromises the lottery and turns it into a “the rich get richer” kind of game. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick had slammed the scheme as “the biggest theft” from the Texans in the history of the state.

In order to protect the integrity of the lottery, the government decided to proceed with significant changes in the hopes of restoring public trust in the state’s lottery framework.