A couple from California have won $528.8 million in a record Powerball jackpot in January.
Marvin and Mae Acosta made the claim in Van Nuys after the record $1.6 billion Powerball drawing on 12 January, and decided to take a lump sum worth $327.8 million net of taxes.
Lottery spokesman Alex Traverso said they requested privacy.
The couple said in a statement they are committing nearly all of the winnings to charitable causes.
“We are thankful and blessed for the rare gift that has been placed in our care. We have engaged a team of advisors to educate and guide us through this process so that we can be good stewards of these new resources,” the statement reads.
“While many decisions are still to be made, we have committed nearly all of this new resource to a Trust and to charities that are important to us. While we are very grateful for the wonderful wishes and encouragement we’ve received, it is not our intention to become public figures, and we ask for and appreciate privacy going forward. Thank you.”
The winning ticket was sold at a 7-Eleven store in Chino Hills, a suburb of Los Angeles.
The winners’ identity was a mystery for months, until they had “got their affairs in order”, said Mr Traverso, as reported by the LA Times.
In the meantime, an overjoyed nurse from Pomona was tricked by her son into thinking she had won the jackpot, and the story quickly spread online before it was determined the ticket was a fake.
The store that sold the real winning ticket was given the maximum award of $1 million.
Winners in Florida and Tennessee have already claimed their prize money after they came forward within days of the Powerball draw.
