Waitress receives lottery ticket as tip and wins R$54 million

Tonda Dickerson, a waitress at a restaurant in Alabama, changed her life after winning a lottery ticket as a tip. The unexpected gift ended up yielding a $10 million prize, equivalent to R$54 million. However, her luck was accompanied by legal disputes.

Understand

• Tonda Dickerson was working as usual at the restaurant when customer Edward Seward gave him the lottery ticket as a tip – something he often did.
• Days later, the waitress scratched off the ticket and discovered she had won US$10 million (around R$54 million).
• The news spread among her coworkers, who decided to sue her.
• Employees claimed there was a verbal agreement among restaurant staff to split any winnings from tickets left as tips.
• Edward Seward also sued the waitress.
• The case happened in 1999, but has recently returned to the spotlight.

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Initially, the Alabama court granted Dickerson's coworkers' request, arguing that the winnings should be split because the ticket was given as a tip. However, the waitress appealed to the State Supreme Court, which ultimately ruled in her favor.

Edward Seward also sued Tonda, claiming she promised to buy him a truck if she won. Since she failed to do so, she allegedly violated a verbal agreement. The court again ruled in favor of the waitress.

Tax problems and sequestration

In addition to the above issues, Tonda Dickerson was sued for tax fraud by the United States Internal Revenue Service (IRS) after transferring the prize money to a family business to avoid taxes and better manage the winnings. She had to pay more than $1 million (approximately R$5 million) in taxes and fines.

Some time later, the waitress was kidnapped by her ex-husband, Stacy Martin, who was demanding a share of the prize. Tonda managed to fight back and shot him in the chest in self-defense.

After facing legal disputes and even a kidnapping, Tonda decided to receive the prize in annual installments of US$375,000 (approximately R$2 million) over 30 years. She currently lives a discreet life away from the media.