What would you do if you won the lottery? Would you buy a mansion and a yacht? Would you start a business or vacation for life? Winning the lottery can be a dream come true for many people. It could also be the beginning of a disastrous course of pitfalls and poor choices. It just depends on how the money is spent. As for a recent winner, Pedro Quezada, he has started making some positive decisions.
Once a New Jersey deli clerk, 44-year-old Pedro was the winner of a $338 million Powerball jackpot. Even after taxes, he is still clearing $152 million. And with all that money in his pocket, what is on his mind is family. Pedro wiped out a $29,400 child support debt for three of his five kids with a $30,000 certified check and vows to be a better father.
“My children are going to be living with me from now on,” he declared from Passaic County Family Court in Paterson New Jersey. Whether their home will be a house on the hill or a condo in Trump Tower, Pedro’s attorney will not say. Attorney Paul Fernandez is keeping a tight lip about where the family will live and whether the kid’s mom has any objections. So bags aren’t being packed just yet.
Until a custody decision is finalized, Pedro will continue to make child support payments of $141 per week to Ana Alicea. But regardless of the ruling, Judge Ernest Caposela agrees with Pedro’s focus on family. “Remember, investing in your children is the most important thing,” he said. “And it’s the wisest investment that you’ll make.” For questions about child custody or child support, contact a Family Law Attorney in your local area.