$425 million Powerball winner wants privacy

[Hum]

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) ? The winner of one of the largest Powerball jackpots in history has finally come forward ? but he still hasn't quite revealed his identity.

B. Raymond Buxton, a Northern California man, waited more than a month to accept his prize on Tuesday at the California Lottery headquarters in Sacramento.

In a photo taken after he claimed the money on Tuesday, Buxton was covering his face with an oversize check for $425 million. Perhaps the only clue to his identity was his unusual shirt, which featured a picture of the Star Wars character Yoda and read, "Luck of the Jedi I have."

"He really wants to live a private life as best he can," Buxton's publicist Sam Singer told The Associated Press. "He was a solidly middle-class American, and today he is a solidly wealthy one."

Buxton is hoping to remain out of the limelight and doesn't want to speak directly to the media, Singer said. He also won't reveal his age, address or what he did for a living until his very recent retirement.

 

"I'm going to enjoy my new job setting up a charitable foundation focused on the areas of pediatric health, child hunger and education," Buxton said Tuesday in a prepared statement.

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[Louisifer]

He's allowed his privacy but I think he may have narrowed down the search in that last sentence :P

[Hum]

I think that big winners would need to move at least 200 miles away from home.

[NightScreams]

Every 3rd cousin from a second marriage would be calling you up to say "hey remember me". Not to mention the fact that for every person you know that doesn't get any money from you will likely be ###### anyway cause they think your being greedy. Every foundation imaginable will be calling to ask how much you will be donating today...etc. Yeah I'd want to keep my privacy too. Actually I wouldn't even go back home from the lotto office, I'd buy a ticket to wherever and never look back.

[techbeck]

I would want to remain anon as well.  He would have some many "long lost" family come and hit him up for money, or worse.  Killed by a family member for his winnings whic has happened before.

[Xenon]

I thought they gave you the option of not releasing your name if you won.

[PNWDweller]

If I were to win the lottery of any size where I would have to go to the HQ, I would bring a lawyer with me and probably do the same.  I'd request to be known by my middle and last name in the public record, and I would also probably cover my face with the check like he did. 

 

I have very specific security concerns myself with privacy and personal safety so I would also probably go and like one suggested, move quite a bit away from my current town.  Along with this, hire a private tutor for our special needs child, hire gate security for the place I would build and then start spreading my wealth to my real family and friends by paying off their homes, buying one for my sister and generally upgrading their life some.   A certain percentage would also go toward charity, quite a bit toward investments and the rest for living off of.   Of course, this would be if we won the mega large lottery like Powerball or something in the hundreds of millions. ;)

[vcfan]

id hire a good lawyer to handle this deal. find an old dude, give him 10 mill to claim the prize so he can enjoy the last bit of his life and go out on a bang. I stay anonymous,and rich as hell.

[Shiranui]

It would be better if they gave 425 people a million dollars, instead of giving all of it to one person.

[Rohdekill]

Had it been me, I would have formed a corporation and the corporation claims the prize. Not sure if that is allowed by lotto rules, but it would be worth looking into if you wanted privacy.

[spenser.d]

I thought they gave you the option of not releasing your name if you won.

 

It depends on the state.  For example, in Wisconsin, the answer to the question, "Can I remain anon?" is this:

No. Wisconsin has an ?open records law.? Most information that state government produces or controls is available to any organization or person requesting it. Only information ?in the public?s interest? may be released by a government agency. The lottery, upon request, must release the name and city of the winner.  Any other information about the winner will be released only with the winner?s consent. Likewise, it is the winner's choice if they would like to speak to the media. It is not required, nor can it be prevented.

[Kriz]

Too right id be anonymous too!

[123456789A]

If I won $425 million I wouldn't mind if everyone knew I won. If they ask me for money I'd just say I already spent it all on DLC.

[NightScreams]

It would be better if they gave 425 people a million dollars, instead of giving all of it to one person.

 

Better how exactly? There are many people that have been rich and blew it all and are now poor again. Who gets determined to get a portion and then further the guy has to die sometime, someone even if it's family will get the money regardless, it all gets cycled into the economy eventually. What would help more is some changes in our corporate govt.