By SHELLEY GRIESHOP
sgrieshop@dailystandard.com
The winner(s) of the Super Lotto Plus ticket purchased in St.
Henry last month came forward Friday to claim the $3.7 million
pot.
However, the identity of the new millionaire(s) may stay a well-kept
secret. Lottery officials say the money was claimed through
a blind trust in order to keep the winner(s) anonymous.
The winning ticket was purchased via random pick at Gels IGA
Market in St. Henry. Grocery store owner Charlie Gels will receive
$10,500 for selling the lucky ticket.
The $3,753,750, after taxes, has been deposited in the J.A.
Falcon Trust, said lottery spokeswoman Marie Kilbane Seckers.
The trust is being handled by attorney Roger Whitaker of Columbus
who will receive $1 as compensation for his services as a trustee,
according to the trust agreement.
A phone call this morning to Whitaker — in an attempt
to find out if the winner was a local resident — was not
returned at deadline today.
Gels said, for an earlier story, his store was visited frequently
by Eldora race fans the week prior to the drawing, leaving speculation
that the winner could be from out of state.
The anonymous Lotto winner(s) shared the overall $21 million
jackpot in the Super Lotto Plus drawing Sept. 24 with a husband
and wife from Ottawa, where the other ticket was purchased.
The couple, David and Esther Niese, held a press conference
at the Lottery regional office in Toledo on Sept. 29.
The cash option was chosen by both winning ticket holders, Kilbane
Seckers said. The winning numbers were 3, 30, 37, 39, 42, 46
and bonus ball, 22.
Winners are allotted 180 days to validate their tickets at regional
offices throughout Ohio.
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