Denise Rossi

Denise Rossi won $1.3 million in the lotto on December 28, 1996. Eleven days later, she filed for divorce from her husband, and in the meanwhile, she failed to disclose her little inheritance. Her intention was to start over, single and wealthy. Her spouse, who thought they were happy, was taken aback. He didn't find out the real reason for the divorce until a few years later—she had won the lotto and didn't want him to collect any of the money!

Despite being married for 25 years, Rossie claimed in court records that she kept the winnings hidden because she didn't want her husband to get his hands on them. It took two years for her ex-husband to find she'd won and then sue her. The judge was not sympathetic to her avaricious predicament and charged her of fraud or malice for breaking disclosure laws.

The judge ordered her to make 20 yearly installments of $66,800 to her ex-husband. This amounts to slightly more than $1.3 million. In other words, she gave up all she had gained. Rossi then filed an appeal, but she lost.

Lottery Winning Year: December 28, 1996
Nationality: American