Patricia Daly, who won $8 million in the New York lottery last year, has appeared in court to do battle with her ex-husband Jamie Eisel. He is suing her for half of the winnings.
Daly (40) from Tullamore, County Offaly, and Jamie Eisel (41) are now divorced, after an 18-month long battle. The former couple’s three children Cory (11), Ryan (9), and Liam (5) could be questioned in court over the case.
Eisel demanded that he receive half of the lottery winning from Daly despite the fact that he had not bought the ticket and left his wife for another relationship. This was Eisel’s third marriage. He owes $8,000 to three banks in unpaid loans.
The ex-husband then rejected the $1 million payout that Daly offered him and insisted that the case go to trial.
At the time her lawyer Dorothy Gong said, "There will be no settlement now…He was offered $1m and no obligation for child support or college costs for the kids."
The initial hearing took play in Nassau County Supreme Court, in Mineola, Long Island, on Friday.
During the trial, set to continue in October, Daly could be questioned over her personal life and financial affairs.
In January last year, Daly won $21.5 million in the New York Lottery. After taxes this meant she received $8 million. She works as a waitress and was due to go to ireland for Christmas, but a blizzard kept her home and she bought a lottery ticket on a whim.
On hearing about her big windfall she said, “I will buy a home, not a house, in New York. Something very comfortable with a big, fenced-in yard that the boys can run around in.
"I know [the kids will] be thrilled when I tell them we'll also buy a dog to run around the yard with them."
Eight months later Eisel filed for divorce. He had the courts freeze the winning and left Daly and his family with a small stipend.
She had to make ends meet in her rented apartment in Long Beach, New York, whilst working in a local bar, the Saloon Bar.
Eisel works as an ironworker and foreman at his local job site.
Last summer Eisel got bad press when he had refused to give Daly some extra cash to bring their children on holidays.
At the time he said “I don’t care what people in Ireland think of me.”
Legal experts told the Irish Sun that Daly will most likely be forced by the courts to split the winning with her husband.
The trial will resume in October.
9 Comments
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.breandan | Sep 22, 2012, 09:14 PM EDT
"He was offered...no obligation for child support or college costs for the kids" This is a meaningless agreement. She can't make this agreement because SHE is never entitled to child support. That is the right of the children. He may not be the nicest person in the world (although we've heard this largely from the spurned wife and we don't know how nice she is) but they were married when she won the money. Even if she kept it quiet and got her divorce she'd be liable for charges for perjury when her cover-up was discovered. Eight million dollars is a lot to hide. If he had won 8 million she'd want more than child support. If we don't like it change the laws and do away with property division.
SingleDonald | Sep 22, 2012, 08:10 PM EDT
This loser deserves nothing, I agree! He left his wife, apparently didn't care about his kids, and refused a VERY generous offer: 1 million dollars, and no child support! I hope the court rules that he is entitled to zero!
SingleDonald | Sep 22, 2012, 06:25 PM EDT
She paid a way higher tax rate than Romney, who paid 14% on his 2011 tax return. AND she needs a better lawyer.
WoundedKnee | Sep 22, 2012, 03:10 PM EDT
As far as I know it's not obligatory to go public if you win the lottery. Why didn't this woman keep her big mouth shut? And is it true that her ex is arguing that since she became a US citizen thru marrying him, she owes him big time?
Searlit | Sep 22, 2012, 11:51 AM EDT
She needs the money to be able to take good care of the children. He doesn't sound like he's too interested in the children's welfare, only himself!
StevieVirginia | Sep 22, 2012, 11:02 AM EDT
The dumb ass deserves nothing other then to be laughed at. What a very stupid man.
joan1954 | Sep 22, 2012, 10:02 AM EDT
Is New York a community property state where things are divided in the case of divorce? This lady would have been better to keep quiet about the winnings until after the legal ramificatioms were sorted out as they were married at the time of her winnings. I wish her luck.
shuvonn | Sep 22, 2012, 10:00 AM EDT
He deserves NOTHING and I hope that is what he gets.....
pdm6288 | Sep 22, 2012, 10:00 AM EDT
Slimeball! He may not care what the people in Ireland think about him, but what about what his children think about him as this drags on. If he wins this case, he should be made to pay for all the child support and maintenance he didn't pay all these years. Probably doesn't pay taxes either. He will care one day what God thinks about him though...tough guy that he thinks he is now...