Workmates lay claim to Powerball windfall
Ask any lottery winner and they will tell you it is easy to lose friends after they find out about your multi-million dollar windfall.
One Victorian man, who is only suspected of winning the lottery, appears to have proven this in grand form.
His workmates believe he has pocketed their lottery winnings for himself before quitting his job and splashing out on luxury cars and houses.
The workers suspect their syndicate might be among the rightful winners of a $50 million Powerball jackpot which was shared between three newly minted millionaires in October last year.
Now they're heading to court to prove it.
According to Fairfax Media, retired courier driver Gary Baron, 49, has raised the suspicions of his former Toll workmates at Geelong after retiring from his job, buying a $200,000 BMW M4 and purchasing a new two storey home. His son is also believed to have recently acquired a new home with a luxury swimming installed shortly afterwards.
The syndicate first became suspicious Baron had cashed a $17.6 million cheque when he called in sick the day after the draw.
They became even more skeptical when their courier company was hired to delivery a bottle of champagne to their colleague courtesy of Tattslotto.
The “Powerball 14” will now ask Victoria’s Supreme Court to order Tatts Group to reveal the name of one Victorian winner who shared the jackpot with two others around the country. They believe they are each entitled to a $1 million share of the winnings.
News Corp quoted a source saying Baron’s workmates decided investigate after they decided their now former workmate had suddenly started behaving like a very wealthy man.
“They suspect that he did win because of his change of routine — he has acquired lots of assets recently,” the source said.
“They have never got a satisfactory explanation from him. These people are all workers - to get $1 million will change their whole life.”
The group will also ask the court to reveal how many tickets the mystery winner bought in case they argue the winning ticket had been purchased separately to the syndicate ticket.
It was reported Baron regularly collected money from his colleagues to enter lottery draws, however, none of the other men involved say they ever saw the winning ticket.
A Tattslotto press release following the draw identified the winner only as a Victorian man who wished to remain anonymous, and who planned to buy a jet ski, new cars for his family and new iPhones for his children.
“I’m still in disbelief … I don’t need that amount of money, it’s too much for me,” he said in the press release.
“I’m going to share the prize money with my family. I’ll make sure it doesn’t change who I am but I’ll definitely be able to live a better lifestyle.
The October 2014 jackpot came to $50 million and was shared between the mystery Victorian man, a Victorian couple and a West Australian man who each pocketed about $17 million.
News Corp reported Tattslotto was not expected to challenge the Geelong syndicate’s demand to reveal the winner’s identity.
