Winner of $1 Million Continues to Collect Food Stamps

Amanda Clayton, a 24 year old woman for Michigan, won $1 million in the Michigan State Lottery. Clayton was on food stamps prior to winning the lottery, and she continued to accept food stamps after she claimed her lump sum of cash from the Michigan State Lottery. Clayton stated she thought it was alright to continue accepting food stamps because she was not working and the state never stopped sending them to her.

Clayton, who now owns two homes and a new car, was accepting $200 a month in food assistance, believing she had a “right” to the government welfare. Clayton stated, “I feel that it’s OK because, I mean, I have no income and I have bills to pay. I have two houses.”

Republican Rep. Dale Zorn has since sponsored a bill that would prevent individuals like Clayton from taking advantage of state financial assistance. The state House has already passed the bill and a sister bill is in the Senate. The bill would require the state to cross check lottery winners of over $1,000 with the list of individuals receiving state financial benefits.

See Eric Pfeiffer, Lottery Winner on Food Stamps Even After $1 Million Jackpot, Yahoo!News, Mar. 7, 2012. 

Special thanks to David S. Luber (Attorney at law, Florida Probate Attorney Wills and Estates Law Firm) for bringing this article to my attention.