Lotto Millionaire Still Using Food Stamps

A Bay County man from Michigan won $2 Million dollars last summer on a Michigan lottery game show called "Make Me Rich". To get on the game show you have to win $1000 on a $20 scratch off ticket to qualify. This man actually won two $1000 prizes on two tickets before going on the show and eventually winning the $2M prize. After paying roughly $1M in taxes on the $2M prize, he is still considered a millionaire. Unlike other millionaires this man is still using State aid food stamps (Michigan Bridge Card) to play for his groceries.

AUBURN, Mich. -- A man who won $2 million on a Michigan lottery show has told TV5 that he still uses food stamps.

Leroy Fick of Bay County admitted he still swipes the electronic card at stores, nearly a year after winning a jackpot on "Make Me Rich!" He told TV5's Bill Walsh that more than half the prize went to taxes.

Fick said the Department of Human Services told him he could continue to use the card, which is paid with Michigan tax dollars.

www.wnem.com...

WNEM news has a video clip on the story if you follow the link.


Do you think its right for this man to continue to get State aid?

Should he willingly give up his Bridge Card if the State continues to allow him to use it?

And does this point out a major flaw in the system?

What are your thoughts on this?


Video of Leroy Fick winning the $2 Million Prize.






Related
www.freep.com...
detnews.com...$2M

This is just another sign that this nation is in ruin.....it's run by crack heads,......pedofiles,....... and fools...

Considering $1,000,000 was taken from him? Then yeah, of course he has the right to.

Originally posted by TrueInstinct
Considering $1,000,000 was taken from him? Then yeah, of course he has the right to.

He still had a million left over didn't he? I think he should have to repay every cent he has used from the time he won the money. Food stamps are for people who don't have the money to buy food not some ahole who cries about having to pay taxes on some money he won. And to his caseworker I would hand them a broom and say welcome to your new job.

He's just trying to take back the 1,000,000 they stole from him in taxes.

What right do they have to take a million dollars from him when Corporations are paying pennies and making Billions?

If they have the right to steal from him, doesn't he have the right to steal it back?

This has always gone on:



And will continue to go on.

Agreeing with the above posters. The 1 mil taxed is the real crime here. Still, fighting fire with fire doesn't get us anywhere.

Originally posted by buster2010

Originally posted by TrueInstinct
Considering $1,000,000 was taken from him? Then yeah, of course he has the right to.

He still had a million left over didn't he? I think he should have to repay every cent he has used from the time he won the money. Food stamps are for people who don't have the money to buy food not some ahole who cries about having to pay taxes on some money he won. And to his caseworker I would hand them a broom and say welcome to your new job.

Just think about it for a moment. The Government took half of his winnings. Yes he's left over with a million still, but they still took a ridiculous amount of money. The money he's going to be saving from the stamps is absolutely pennies compared to the amount of money them claimed off him.

So yes he's got enough money to feed himself without them, but paying that amount of tax has in effect covered thousands of other peoples food stamps.

They take $1,000,000 of him, and he only takes around $1000 or so a month back? If you look at it that way he's effectively giving others $950,000 over his lifetime.

I'm kind of torn here.

Even if he was on food stamps for the rest of his life he would never get anywhere close to taking back that 1 mil he paid in taxes. So he isn't a leach, he is a contributor. I'm sure most of the people mad about this won't pay a million dollars in taxes during their entire lifetime. Neither will I (probably) so what right do we have to be mad at him over this?

The other side of me thinks it's a pretty big jerk move to do something like this. He could probably live the rest of his life comfortably without ever working again, so why is he taking money from a program meant to help people that can't even afford food?

Personally if I was in his position, I would not do what he is doing. Still can't get over how how slimy it seems.

I see nothing wrong in this, both from the millionaire's side (he has that right, he can still use it) and the state side (I don't see anything wrong in taxing money people got from gambling, it's worse to pay tax on the money you are paid for your work).

Here in Portugal, when a prize is advertised, it's already advertised with the value the winners will take home, not that "win 2 millions" that is in fact a "win 1 million" scam.

Originally posted by jude11
He's just trying to take back the 1,000,000 they stole from him in taxes.

What right do they have to take a million dollars from him when Corporations are paying pennies and making Billions?

If they have the right to steal from him, doesn't he have the right to steal it back?

edit on 17-5-2011 by jude11 because: (no reason given)

Nobody stole anything from him. He knew about the taxes just the same way a lottery winner has to pay taxes. If he doesn't like the taxes then he can do a couple of things to stop from paying them. Stop winning on game shows or hire lobbyist like corporations do and get laws passed that stops taxes on game show money. Personally I find it hilarious that a person is complaining because they only have a million dollars left.

I think the guy is playing the system by its own rules. And to repeat what others have said, if billion dollar international companies like GE can get away with paying no tax on their income, then I think John should be able to get a million dollars worth of foodstamps before they even blink at his holdings.
Besides, with the way things are heading, a million dollars today is like 100k 15 years ago. It just doesnt go as far as it used to.

I would keep using the card, stash the million in market account and live off the taxable income that it generates. Live and die a millionaire and pass whats left on to family.

Originally posted by TrueInstinct

Originally posted by buster2010

Originally posted by TrueInstinct
Considering $1,000,000 was taken from him? Then yeah, of course he has the right to.

He still had a million left over didn't he? I think he should have to repay every cent he has used from the time he won the money. Food stamps are for people who don't have the money to buy food not some ahole who cries about having to pay taxes on some money he won. And to his caseworker I would hand them a broom and say welcome to your new job.

Just think about it for a moment. The Government took half of his winnings. Yes he's left over with a million still, but they still took a ridiculous amount of money. The money he's going to be saving from the stamps is absolutely pennies compared to the amount of money them claimed off him.

So yes he's got enough money to feed himself without them, but paying that amount of tax has in effect covered thousands of other peoples food stamps.

They take $1,000,000 of him, and he only takes around $1000 or so a month back? If you look at it that way he's effectively giving others $950,000 over his lifetime.

It's not like he worked to earn the money. This is money that was basically given to him I have no problem with high taxes on that. He can take care of himself there is no reason for him to be on food stamps. The guy is nothing more than a greedy freeloader.

Originally posted by wheresthetruth
I think the guy is playing the system by its own rules. And to repeat what others have said, if billion dollar international companies like GE can get away with paying no tax on their income, then I think John should be able to get a million dollars worth of foodstamps before they even blink at his holdings.
Besides, with the way things are heading, a million dollars today is like 100k 15 years ago. It just doesnt go as far as it used to.

I would keep using the card, stash the million in market account and live off the taxable income that it generates. Live and die a millionaire and pass whats left on to family.

I agree with you agreeing with me...lol

But, 2 things:

1. No market accounts as that's a crap shoot and he could lose that as well. Get some Gold and Silver on the sly.

2. Give that Gold and Silver to his family rather than cash as they'll tax the inheritance.

Gotta be sneaky!

Originally posted by buster2010

Originally posted by TrueInstinct

Originally posted by buster2010

Originally posted by TrueInstinct
Considering $1,000,000 was taken from him? Then yeah, of course he has the right to.

He still had a million left over didn't he? I think he should have to repay every cent he has used from the time he won the money. Food stamps are for people who don't have the money to buy food not some ahole who cries about having to pay taxes on some money he won. And to his caseworker I would hand them a broom and say welcome to your new job.

Just think about it for a moment. The Government took half of his winnings. Yes he's left over with a million still, but they still took a ridiculous amount of money. The money he's going to be saving from the stamps is absolutely pennies compared to the amount of money them claimed off him.

So yes he's got enough money to feed himself without them, but paying that amount of tax has in effect covered thousands of other peoples food stamps.

They take $1,000,000 of him, and he only takes around $1000 or so a month back? If you look at it that way he's effectively giving others $950,000 over his lifetime.

It's not like he worked to earn the money. This is money that was basically given to him I have no problem with high taxes on that. He can take care of himself there is no reason for him to be on food stamps. The guy is nothing more than a greedy freeloader.

I'm not saying he shouldn't be taxed, I'm just saying he's literally keeping 5% of his own money while giving the rest away to people that aren't able to feed themselves.

I know he's not choosing to do that, and he obviously wouldn't if he had the choice, but I'm just saying he's contributing far more than he's taking.

You shouldn't have to pay taxes on a lottery prize, it is a PRIZE for Gods sake, the government makes enough from the lottery as it is, that is double dipping and the fact that is 50% is outright criminal. Use the damn card.

Thanks for the comments everyone.

Personally I don't care whether this guy keeps his card or not, he was using the card before he won the money,
and he hit a little luck to help him along. Nothing he can do about being taxed that much, it comes with the territory of winning a lottery prize of that size.

I just find it silly that this guy now has more money in the bank than I do and a portion of the money that I pay to this state is going towards putting food on his table.

What kinda irritates me about this story is, a good friend of mine who also lives in this state, she works at a low paying job, at times throughout the year will pick up a 2nd job to help with the bills as she raises her child. The state has denied her aid a number of times now over the years because she is just above the cut line for state assistance. She struggles to make it month to month with no extra money and no help from the state. While this guy who has an extra million dollars sitting around and still receives aid from the state. It doesn't make sense to me.

reply to post by InvisibleObserver


why is a guy using foodstamps buying 20 dollar scratch-offs anyway?
I hope they were a gift.

reply to post by InvisibleObserver


I dont understand this either. My wife and I both work minimum wage jobs and have 4 kids and do NOT qualify for food stamps. My wife works in a little country store and on a daily basis sees kids just barely out of high school who still live with their parents come in with food stamps given to them by our government and buy nothing but junk food and red bulls. The whole system is a joke.
Something else I dont understand is why this guy even felt the need to go public with the fact that he still uses his food stamp card. Peace

I say it is the system that is at fault. When he got his first payment from the winnings he should have been cut-off. They know he has the money and they still let him use the card. It is their fault.