Mega Millions Lottery Winner Holly Lahti May Have to Split Jackpot

Jan. 15, 2010 -- The nation's newest gazillionaire, Holly Lahti, may have to split her $190 million winnings with her estranged, ex-convict husband, Joshua Lahti.

Holly Lahti, 29, has yet to publicly come forward after claiming her winning Mega Millions ticket Tuesday.

It's not known if Holly Lahti planned to share her winnings with her husband. Joshua Lahti said he found out about his wife's good fortune from a reporter, KXLY reported. Lahti said that the couple have been married a decade and have two daughters, a 10-year-old and a 12-year-old. John George

"Everything acquired during the marriage is presumed to be community property. There is a presumption of a substantially equal division," said John George, Attorney at Palmer George PLLC. "If I were to gamble on this, I would say that it would not be an equal division of the actual proceeds but i would say that he has a claim,"

Lahti's estranged husband, Joshua Lahti, has been arrested more than a dozen times and been convicted of domestic battery, drug possession and buying alcohol for a minor. His more serious sentence was for battery in which he was ordered to spend 30 days in jail and pay a $200 fine.

He was also arrested and charged with kidnapping and false imprisonment, but those charges were later dismissed,court records show. He has had numerous traffic violations.

The couple, while separated, are not divorced, ABC News affiliate KXLY reported.

In January 2003, both Holly and Joshua Lahti were booked on charges of battery and jailed. Holly Lahti sported a black eye in her mug shot. Joshua Lahti was charged with violating a no contact order and battery. The charges against both were eventually dropped.

Holly Lahti has also been issued four tickets for traffic infractions, including an infraction involving the safety of a 4-year-old passenger. She was fined $60 for that infraction.

Until Mrs. Lahti discovered she won half of the $380 million Mega Million lottery, she was working as a customer service representative at Inland Northwest Bank in Post Falls, Idaho. She'd been working for the bank since 2007, a spokesperson for the bank told ABC News.

She lives in the small town of Rathdrum, Idaho.

A neighbor of Holly Lahti's mother Elaine Alford said that the new mogul visits her mother almost daily.

Relatives told KXLY that the winner is "very deserving" of the ticket.

Co-workers from her bank said that they were excited for Lahti.

Holly Lahti bought her winning ticket at Ady's Convenience and Car Wash, which won $50,000 for selling the ticket.

Brad Wilde, manager of Ady's, said that everyone is very happy for Lahti.

"She's very sweet. Very down to earth. Just a really nice person. Good head on her shoulders. I think she'll do very well," Wilde told ABC News. "She's taken some time to get things lined up."

Mega Millions Winner Holly Lahti Sports Black Eye in Mugshot

Holly Lahti contrasts with her co-winner. Last week, the winner of the other half of the bonanza, Jim McCullar, came forward in Ephrata, Wash., to claim his share of the jackpot.

McCullar spent more than 30 minutes regaling a news conference with stories about how he won, other prizes he has won and joking with his wife.

MCuller, 68, and his wife Carolyn live in Ephrata, Wash., a town of fewer than 7,000 people, where he works as a real estate agent.

The jackpot grew to such "mega" dimensions after 15 consecutive drawings that started Nov. 12.

ABC Affiliate KXLY contributed to this report.