On March 7, 1999, Mr. Edward Seward had dinner at a Waffle House
establishment in Grand Bay, Alabama, United States. He handed Tonda
Dickerson, who had a lottery ticket in her wallet, a tip rather than the
customary several bucks because he wasn't carrying much cash. A poor woman's
life was suddenly altered by the straightforward alternative.
A week later, Tonda Dickerson learned that the lottery ticket she was
handed had won a prize of $10 million (230 billion VND). That sum is equal
to 16.4 million USD in today's money (about 374 billion VND). Tonda's
unanticipated joy overcame her. She believed that after this, her life would
begin a new chapter, but it has instead been a never-ending nightmare.
Overnight, a homeless waitress becomes a billionaire.
Tonda opted to receive 375,000 USD every month for 30 years as opposed to a
lump sum. She left her position at the restaurant in order to position
herself for a more lucrative future. Tonda, who is in her late 30s and
recently got divorced, works in a low-paying job. She was ecstatic about the
unexpected good fortune and excited about the future.
The happiness was fleeting, though, and Tonda soon herself herself in an
unanticipated tangle. The whole workforce of the Waffle House restaurant
filed a lawsuit against her before she could get the money. The workers had
an unspoken agreement to divide tips evenly daily, so Tonda was forced to
split the money.
At first, the court only mandated that Tonda retain $3 million for herself,
with the remainder to be shared among the other workers. She filed an appeal
and was awarded $10 million in total.
Employees of Waffle House appear before the court when they anticipate
being divided during the initial trial.
The visitor who gave Tonda her lottery ticket and who is also Edward Seward
is still suing her. She allegedly betrayed her promise to this man to
purchase him a new truck as a token of appreciation. Edward was unable to
present any proof, therefore Tonda still prevailed in the lawsuit.
But the problem hasn't yet been resolved. A few days later, Tonda
experiences another catastrophe. She is taken hostage for ransom. She was
kidnapped by her ex-husband, who had recently divorced her, not by a
stranger. She was brought to a deserted dock and told to split the cash with
him or he would shoot her. Tonda resisted and s.h.o.t her ex-husband. She
shot the injured individual, but no charges were brought against her since
it was found that it was an act of self-defense.
Tonda made an unexpected choice to surrender the majority of the earnings
to her family in order to return home because of the numerous issues that
the "dropping from the sky" money entails. She is at calm right now.
Tonda said that the money didn't make her happy; rather, it just caused her
anxiety and fear.
Tonda received a tax letter from the IRS 12 years after winning the
jackpot. She had to fork up a hefty tax of more than $ 1.2 million in order
to transfer the earnings to her family. Tonda and her family had difficulty
paying this amount because they opted to receive the money progressively
each month.
The US media has named Tonda Dickerson, who has been winning the lotto for
more than 20 years, as one of the "unluckiest lottery winners." She bemoaned
ongoing lawsuits, impending threats, ruptured friendships, and treachery for
financial gain. Even in his middle age, Tonda continues to work every day to
make money. According to her Facebook profile, the woman billionaire works
every day as a server at a casino in Mississippi.
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