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Harold Diamond $326 Million: Retired Principal, 80, Wins $326 Million, New York’s Biggest Prize Ever

By Effie Orfanides
Published on: 06:08 PST, Jan 13, 2015

Harold Diamond won $326 million in the New York lottery, which was the biggest payout ever made in the state. According to Fox News, the 80-year-old retired principal won the Nov. 4 jackpot prize after buying a ticket at a Valero in Wallkill. Like most people, Mr. Diamond put the ticket away, and really didn’t think twice about it… until he was at a golf outing the next day.

“I put the ticket in my wallet and forgot about it. I went to play golf the next day and the guys in the clubhouse were talking about the jackpot-winning ticket someone bought at a Valero on Route 302, and I thought, wait a minute — I bought a ticket there last night!”

Harold Diamond claimed his $326 million with his wife, Carol, a retired math teacher. The two were presented with a check by Yolanda Vega at the gas station where the ticket was purchased. Mr. Diamond chose to take a lump sum of about $130 million after taxes. As far as what he plans to do with the money, he says that he will help his family, and give back to the local community.

According to AOL News, Diamond praised his wife, whom he says is the reason for his good fortune.

So many people were happy to see Mr. Diamond take home that large check. Another lottery winner made headlines recently, but not for the same reasons. As previously reported by the Inquisitr, a sex offender in Florida recently won a hefty jackpot and people were completely outraged.

Timothy Poole took a lump sum of $2,219,807 after taxes. Not long after he claimed his prize, a lawsuit was filed against him. Two brothers, who were sexually abused by Poole, didn’t take long to hire attorneys and go after Poole and his millions, a move that many people think is just.

“The two are brothers who were 5 and 9 years old at the time of the abuse in 1996, according to the lawsuit filed Monday in Orange County Circuit Court. Their attorneys, Mark NeJame and Jason Recksiedler, are seeking a court order to freeze Poole’s new found fortune until the proceedings are over because Poole may ‘squander, hide or otherwise dispose of assets,’ according to the suit.”

[Photo courtesy of Twitter]

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