Record Powerball winners careful, attorney says

Friday, April 07, 2006 posted 05:27 PM EDT

LINCOLN, Neb.-- Sudden wealth has yet to ruin the lives of the eight record Powerball jackpot winners, according to their Lincoln attorney.

"There have been no train wrecks," Jim Hoppe said Wednesday.

Hoppe has also served as a spokesman for the eight winners since they won the $365 million jackpot -- netting about $15.5 million each after taxes -- in February.

In fact, the former meat-processing workers have yet to do anything "crazy," Hoppe said.

"No one has bought the million-dollar house that I'm aware of," he said.

All the winners have seen an accountant, and have invested their money. They've paid off credit cards and home loans. Three took vacations, including one to an auto-racing venue and a trip to Disney World.

Some bought new cars and new houses, and all are still in the area.

Hoppe said there had been many inquiries from people asking for money or to propose investments. But on Tuesday, three of the lottery winners decided to give money to people who weren't asking.

Alain Maboussou, Quang Dao and Dung Tran -- who bought the winning ticket -- walked into the People's City Mission in Lincoln and gave away about $6,000 -- $40 for each resident.

Maboussou told the residents how he and other winners would stand in line for lottery tickets with mission residents, always saying if they won, they'd give to the people at the mission.

Dao and Tran are both refugees from Vietnam. Tran has been in the United States for 16 years and has worked at the plant for 15 of them.

Dao has been in the United States since 1988.

Maboussou came to the United States from the Republic of Congo in 1999 to flee civil war.

The eight winners are: Dao, 56; David Gehle, 53; Maboussou, 26; Chasity Rutjens, 29; Robert Stewart, 30; Michael Terpstra, 47; Tran, 34; and Eric Zornes, 40.

Hoppe said "60 Minutes" and CNN want to do stories on the eight winners, who have maintained a low profile, while others have contacted him about a reality TV series that none of the winners seem to be interested in.

"Did it change their lives for the better? Yeah. I would have to say it has," Hoppe said. "I don't think anyone has come and said, 'I want to give the money back. This is too terrible."'

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