Decide Requested to Dismiss $1B Powerball Lawsuit from ‘Pretender’ Who Danced on TV

• Lawsuit challenges Powerball jackpot already paid to verified ticket holder
• Court docket submitting revisits viral celebration at Los Angeles lottery retailer
• Lottery officers say solely bodily ticket determines jackpot possession

The Multi-State Lottery Affiliation (MUSL) is asking a Los Angeles Superior Court docket Decide to dismiss a lawsuit filed by a girl who claims to be the rightful winner of a $1.08 billion Powerball jackpot ticket.

Caught up within the drama: Stacy Tru celebrating her claimed $1 billion lottery win in entrance of stories cameras on the Las Palmitas Mini Market in downtown L.A. in July 2023 . (Picture: YouTube/KTLA)

Plaintiff Stacy Tru sued MUSL and the California Lottery for $1.08 billion, plus retroactive curiosity, in January 2025, claiming she was “always … the one proprietor of the [winning] ticket.”

Hitting Skid Row

On July 20, 2023, a day after the draw, Tru turned up on the retailer the place the ticket had been bought, the Las Palmitas Mini Market in downtown Los Angeles, and was captured by information crews dancing round, claiming the win.

“I can’t even … I can’t … I’m scared proper now, I’m so scared,” sobbed a then-unidentified Tru, who was sporting a baseball cap bearing the brand of “Psychedelic Water,” an alcohol substitute.

At instances too ecstatic to talk, she managed to nod when requested if she was the winner. Outdoors she collapsed on the ground and waved her arms within the air earlier than driving off in a BMW, in accordance with modern information stories.

Within the shadow of poverty and despair of Skid Row – somebody has simply received $1 billion,” intoned The L.A. Occasions of what was then the sixth largest jackpot in US historical past (now the twelfth).

The prize was claimed months later by one other girl, Yanira Alvarez, who’s the one legitimate ticket holder acknowledged by MUSL and the California Lottery.

Alvarez was publicly recognized because the winner in late March 2024 and opted to take the money choice of $558.1 million earlier than taxes, relatively than the annuity payout tied to the total marketed jackpot.

Faux Til You Make It

On the time, some had been suspicious of Tru’s conduct on the minimart, together with the granddaughter of the shop’s proprietor who advised The Each day Mail she believed was “faking” the entire episode.

She didn’t win – I’m unsure why she did that. I suppose she simply wished to be on TV,” Sarai Palacios stated. “We don’t know who the winner is but. They nonetheless haven’t come ahead.”

Proprietor, Nabor Herrera, advised one other information outlet he was suspicious of Tru as a result of he didn’t acknowledge her.

Tru later launched an internet site, now defunct, by which she painted herself as a billionaire philanthropist who was accessible for “motivational talking.” The location additionally tried to promote “replicas” of the hat she wore when she confirmed up on the minimart.

In its movement to dismiss Tru’s breach of contract declare, MUSL stated it was unaware of any “contract” current between the 2 events.