In a bizarre turn of events, a friend of one of the three Greenwich men who on Nov. 2 and claimed their prize on Monday told the Daily Mail of London that the three are covering for the real winner, who does not want his or her identity revealed.
Tom Gladstone, a Greenwich resident and family friend of lottery winner Brandon Lacoff, told the Daily Mail of London that Lacoff revealed during a conversation yesterday that the trio did not purchase the ticket, but are fronting for the winner, who wishes to keep the press and others away. The news was also reported by the Greenwich Time.
Gladstone, who owns in Greenwich, however, reportedly declined to go into detail.
If what Gladstone is claiming is true it might explain why the three men put the money into a trust, as reported. It might also explain why the trio referred all questions to their lawyer during a press conference held at Lottery headquarters in Rocky Hill yesterday. It may also explain why there was a before the winners came forward to claim the prize money, which will be paid as a lump sum, after taxes and fees, of about $104 million.
As reported on Greenwich Patch yesterday, Greenwich residents Gregg Skidmore, Brandon Lacoff and Tim Davidson, owners of asset management firm Belpointe LLC, stepped forward Monday to reveal themselves as the winners of the $254 million Powerball jackpot — the 12th largest in Powerball history — drawn on Nov. 2.
Should it turn out that the trio is fronting for the actual winner, it may constitute a violation of Lottery rules, the Daily Mail of London report states, which in turn could mean that the real winner will be required to forfeit the winnings.
