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Lottery winners who won millions but ended up with nothing

Denise Rossi, winnings: $1.3 million (£1m)
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Denise Rossi, winnings: $1.3 million (£1m)

Denise Rossi and her husband Thomas had been happily married for 25 years, or so he thought, when Denise suddenly filed for divorce in January 1997. Two years later, Thomas mistakenly received a letter addressed to his ex-wife from a company that pays lump sums to lottery winners. After getting a court injunction, he discovered that Denise had won $1.3 million (£1m) just 11 days before she filed for divorce.

Under California law, Thomas should have been entitled to 50% of his wife's wealth as part of the divorce settlement. He took Denise to court and, to punish her for her concealement, a judge ordered her to pay not half, but all her winnings to her ex-husband. 

lovemoney staff

08 January 2025

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