Winning the lottery is a dream for many, but for Denise Rossi, a $1.3 million jackpot turned into a legal nightmare. Just 11 days after her big win, the California woman filed for divorce from her husband of 25 years. However, she made a critical mistake: she kept the money a secret.
During the divorce proceedings, Denise failed to disclose the windfall to her husband, Thomas, or to the court. She later admitted she simply did not want him “getting his hands on” the prize money.
The secret stayed hidden for two years until Thomas intercepted a letter addressed to his ex-wife from a lottery payment company. Stunned by the discovery, he took legal action. Because Denise had hidden the asset, a judge ruled that she had acted with fraud and malice.
Under California law, spouses must be honest about their finances during a divorce. As a penalty for her dishonesty, the judge ordered Denise to give 100% of her winnings to her ex-husband.
Her attorney later noted that if she had been upfront, she might have kept at least half of the money. Instead, her attempt to hide the fortune resulted in her losing every cent. It serves as a stark reminder that in legal matters, honesty is often the most profitable policy.