Mega Millions Lottery Winner Holly Lahti May Have to Split Jackpot
Jan. 15, 2010 -- The nation's newest gazillionaire, Holly Lahti, may have to split her $190 million winnings with her estranged, ex-convict husband, Joshua Lahti.
Holly Lahti, 29, has yet to publicly come forward after claiming her winning Mega Millions ticket Tuesday.
It's not known if Holly Lahti planned to share her winnings with her husband. Joshua Lahti said he found out about his wife's good fortune from a reporter, KXLY reported. Lahti said that the couple have been married a decade and have two daughters, a 10-year-old and a 12-year-old. John George
"Everything acquired during the marriage is presumed to be community property. There is a presumption of a substantially equal division," said John George, Attorney at Palmer George PLLC. "If I were to gamble on this, I would say that it would not be an equal division of the actual proceeds but i would say that he has a claim,"
Lahti's estranged husband, Joshua Lahti, has been arrested more than a dozen times and been convicted of domestic battery, drug possession and buying alcohol for a minor. His more serious sentence was for battery in which he was ordered to spend 30 days in jail and pay a $200 fine.
He was also arrested and charged with kidnapping and false imprisonment, but those charges were later dismissed,court records show. He has had numerous traffic violations.
The couple, while separated, are not divorced, ABC News affiliate KXLY reported.
In January 2003, both Holly and Joshua Lahti were booked on charges of battery and jailed. Holly Lahti sported a black eye in her mug shot. Joshua Lahti was charged with violating a no contact order and battery. The charges against both were eventually dropped.
