Over 5,000 Florida Lottery Winners Flagged as Potential DEO Debt During the Year

ORLANDO, Florida. – The Florida State Lottery recently said that more than 5,000 winners have “revealed the state’s potential outstanding debt” over the past year.

A request for public records filed by WKMG-TV News 6 with the state lottery authority shows that a total of 5,060 winners from January 1, 2022 to January 10, 2023 were in arrears.

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The new information confirms a growing number of complaints from recent lottery winners whose prizes were seized by the Department of Economic Opportunity for unemployment overpayments they knew nothing about.

Morgan Jones, the DEO’s deputy director of communications, told News 6. It’s important to note “that the DEO’s reemployment assistance overpayment procedures are in place to reduce fraud. An overpayment is established when the DEO does not receive sufficient information to determine eligibility.”

John Moore of Jacksonville told News 6 he was willing to keep the money when his $1,000 cash prize was taken by lottery officials on behalf of the DEO.

“I almost gave up, I’m not going to lie,” Moore told News 6 this week. “How many people don’t fight who don’t know about you guys!”

Moore is one of dozens of Florida residents who have reached out to News 6 to help return lottery cash prizes received to pay off overpayments for unemployment.

News 6 featured Moore and Jerry Kirkpatrick of Ocala in a December 6 article. Both men told News 6 they never received a debt notice from the state.

Since this story first aired, more than 40 lottery winners across the state have reached out to News 6 for help after a cash prize was taken to pay off a DEO debt.

On Monday, Kirkpatrick joined the list of lottery winners who lost and then claimed back their lottery winnings.

A self-employed handyman sent an email and a photo of himself to WKMG-TV holding his $1,000 check courtesy of the DEO.

“It was a game of waiting because I was wondering if it would actually happen,” Kirkpatrick said. “You have results for me, it’s good to have you guys around.”

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The DEO has made it clear that potential government debts go beyond unemployment benefits and could include child support and tax bills.

Moore said he went to a Jacksonville lottery office to cash in his winning Whole Lotta 500 lottery ticket in November and was told he owed $1,200.

He contacted News 6 and provided proof that he was eligible for benefits. In fact, looking at his records generated an additional $275 in unemployment assistance.

“They put in the $275 they owed me because they forgot to send it,” Moore said.

According to Jones, the DEO’s fraud prevention measures prevented more than $23.1 billion in fraud.

“To be clear, we understand that just because an account is marked with an overpayment does not mean that an overpayment has occurred,” she said.

Jones told News 6 that the DEO believes most overpayments are due to incomplete claims that can be resolved by taking the necessary steps to verify eligibility.

The DEO said it is committed to helping eligible Florida residents get reemployment assistance.

Florida residents can visit www.FloridaJobs.org/Overpayments for overpayment guidance, including federal guidance on requesting an overpayment waiver and a sample form.

If you are having unemployment or financial problems, please send an email to [email protected] or send a text message saying “Make ends meet” along with your problem to 407-676-7428.

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