Bob Calamatia, a central Florida lottery winner, was shocked when he was told he could not collect his winnings due to an alleged $3,000 debt to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO). Calamatia won hundreds of dollars in a scratch-off game but was denied the cash after visiting his local lottery office in early March. Instead, he received a letter stating that he owed the DEO for an unemployment welfare overpayment that allegedly occurred during the pandemic.
Calamatia claims he was unaware of the overpayment and entered into a back-and-forth with the DEO. He was initially told that he owed the money but was later informed that it was a mistake caused by an anti-fraud measure. Calamatia alleges that other lottery winners have received similar letters, but these claims have not been confirmed by the DEO, which is currently investigating the matter.
Lottery winners often face fees and taxes on their winnings. A recent $2 million Powerball prize in New York resulted in the winner losing nearly half of the cash due to taxes. Winners have the option to choose between a one-time lump sum or annuity payments spread over several years. The New York winner opted for the lump sum, resulting in a take-home amount of $1,302,001.
