Brittany Wilson, a mother from Florida, thought her financial struggles were over when she won $5,000 in the state lottery. However, her joy quickly became a nightmare when the state confiscated her prize.
Wilson, who was facing financial difficulties, decided to try her luck with the Florida lottery.
“I was financially struggling … something just told me to go to the store and try out my luck,” she told ABC Action News.
Her instincts paid off, and she won $5,000, a sum she desperately needed.
“I was thinking about all the bills that I have held up, just paying those off,” Wilson said, adding that she was eager to spend some money on her children.
However, when Wilson went to collect her winnings from the Florida Lottery District Office, she was handed a ‘Special Circumstances ticket’ instead of a check.
The ticket indicated she might owe “state-owned debt,” specifically related to unemployment compensation she had received in the past.
Wilson was shocked, having collected a $1,000 lottery prize in 2023 without any issues. She had not received any notification from the state about owing money.
Despite calling the Florida Unemployment Assistance Program almost daily, she spent hours on hold trying to resolve the issue.
Thousands of Floridians have faced similar situations. ABC Action News reported that many winners received similar tickets, having their prizes withheld due to alleged overpaid unemployment compensation.
Investigative reporter Kylie McGivern sent information on over 530 affected individuals to the state, most of whom were unaware of any debt until denied their lottery winnings.
Wilson’s case was resolved two weeks after ABC’s intervention, allowing her to finally collect her winnings. However, many others are still fighting for their prizes.
“This cannot keep happening — with the times now, where everything’s going up: rent’s going up, food’s going up. Let me have this money,” Wilson said.
In the current economic climate, every bit helps. Housing remains a significant driver of inflation in the U.S., with rents climbing 0.4% in April 2024 compared to March, and the food index rising 0.3% in April after a 0.4% increase in March, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Wilson’s ordeal highlights many’s ongoing struggles in claiming what is rightfully theirs amid rising living costs and bureaucratic hurdles.
