In a small town in Nova Scotia, Canada, a photograph capturing a moment of triumph and anticipation quickly transformed into a bitter legal battle.
Aunt and nephew proudly posed with a massive $1.2 million lottery check, unaware that their relationship would soon be shattered by conflicting claims over the winnings.
Aunt and nephew photographed with $1.2M lottery check before suing him to take all winnings
Barbara Reddick, who had once regarded her nephew as a son, decided to take him to court, alleging that he had deceived her regarding an agreement they had made to split the lottery jackpot.
The incident happened in Guysborough, a small community on the eastern edge of the province.
The photo, taken just moments before the dispute erupted, depicted both Reddick and MacInnis proudly holding the oversized check that represented their staggering winnings.
However, the atmosphere quickly soured as Reddick emphatically declared, "I'll see you in court," causing shock and confusion among local authorities and lottery officials.
Reddick's claim centered around the alleged agreement to divide the winnings equally between them.
Reddick denied that the pair had an agreement to split the winnings despite both their names being on the ticket. "I'm taking him to court. I'm getting a lawyer tomorrow. Now, you can print that," she said.
She firmly maintained that she had purchased the ticket herself and accused her nephew of trying to fabricate their arrangement.
On the other hand, Maclnnis insisted that they did have a mutual understanding.
The disagreement escalated when Reddick clarified her statement about splitting the winnings, specifying that it referred to a "50/50 split" rather than participating in a popular Canadian lottery called "Chase the Ace."
This lottery was associated with a local fundraiser benefiting fire departments, where participants had the chance to win by drawing the ace of spades along with their ticket.
Despite both their names appearing on the winning ticket, Reddick firmly denied any formal agreement.
Determined to pursue her case, she announced that she would enlist legal representation and take her nephew to court, leaving no room for reconciliation.
Furthermore, the dramatic events that happened in July 2018 left Bernice Curley, the chair of the Margaree Forks Chase the Ace Committee, utterly amazed.
She had sought confirmation from the Nova Scotia Alcohol and Gaming division to ensure that she could issue separate checks to the winners.
The incident took place in front of a large crowd, generating a palpable buzz due to the substantial jackpot at stake.
Legal expert Rob Currie warned that the dispute, involving an amount exceeding $25,000, would likely be more complicated and could drag on for years in the Nova Scotia Supreme Court, incurring significant costs for both parties.
She had sought confirmation from the Nova Scotia Alcohol and Gaming division to ensure that she could issue separate checks to the winners.
The incident took place in front of a large crowd, generating a palpable buzz due to the substantial jackpot at stake.
Legal expert Rob Currie warned that the dispute, involving an amount exceeding $25,000, would likely be more complicated and could drag on for years in the Nova Scotia Supreme Court, incurring significant costs for both parties.
However, the matter was resolved in September.
Barbara Reddick reportedly received the lion's share of the jackpot, approximately $650,000, while Tyrone MacInnis received a lesser amount of $260,000.
Their respective lawyers stated that both parties were content with the settlement, which was reached mutually to avoid further legal proceedings and bring a definitive end to the matter.
