RATHDRUM, Idaho — A northern Idaho woman has claimed the remaining half of a $380 million Mega Millions jackpot, Idaho Lottery officials said Wednesday.
Holly Lahti, a 29-year-old mother of two from the small town of Rathdrum, will split the second-largest lottery jackpot in history with Jim and Carolyn McCullar of Ephrata, Wash.
The McCullars appeared at a news conference last Thursday to announce they’d won half the jackpot, or $190 million. The winning numbers were 4, 8, 15, 25 and 47, and 42 as the Mega ball.
Lahti wasn’t on hand for Wednesday’s announcement in Boise.
“She’s requested that the media respect her privacy and not attempt to contact her until she’s prepared to speak to you,” Idaho lottery director Jeff Anderson said at a news conference.
Lahti had worked since 2007 as a customer-service representative at Inland Northwest Bank in nearby Post Falls, but she resigned Monday, said Holly Poquette, the bank’s chief financial officer.
Lahti’s estranged husband, Josh Lahti of Rathdrum, said Wednesday that he did not know Lahti was the winner of the huge Mega Millions prize until he was told by a reporter.
He said the two have been married 10 years but are separated, and they have two daughters, ages 10 and 12.
If Lahti took a lump-sum payment, she would get $120 million before taxes. The federal government would take $30 million, while the Idaho State Tax Commission would take a $9 million slice, leaving her with about $80.7 million.
