A $1 million scratch ticket sold in Rockland was claimed anonymously through a Hingham trust on Tuesday, Dec. 13, according to the Massachusetts State Lottery.
The Baker Law Group Mass Lottery Trust XIII claimed the “$4,000,000 Money Bags” scratch ticket with representative Michael Baker. Baker received the prize for its winner in a one-time payment of $650,000 before taxes.
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The winning scratch ticket was purchased from Station Liquors in Rockland, and the store will receive a $10,000 bonus for its sale of the ticket.
Choosing to remain anonymous in Mass. when winning the lottery is a little more complicated than in other states because winners must go through the process of creating a trust through the Massachusetts State Lottery for the funds.
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The trustee turns in the ticket and claims the prize for the lottery winner, then deposits their check into the Massachusetts State Lottery trust account created for the beneficiary or lottery winner. This allows for the winner to remain anonymous, and the trustee’s image and name is instead broadcast to media.
“Prizes can be claimed by a trust or other legal entities that fulfill the definition of a legal person,” said Mark William Bracken, Interim Executive Director of the Massachusetts State Lottery. “The identity of the trustee or legal representative is made public. Over the last several years, we have seen an increase in the number of large prizes claimed by trusts.”
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As for the reason for many choosing to use a trust and remain anonymous in recent years, many may not appreciate the influx of calls and attention, the Baker Law Group stated.
“One of the most frequent pieces of advice new lottery winners get from others is to try as hard as possible to remain anonymous. If your name and photograph is published, there’s a strong chance you could find yourself quickly harassed with calls and requests for money,” the group said.
