Lottery winner must pay ex-boyfriend part of winnings

SANFORD, Fla. (AP) – Jurors say a central Florida woman who won $1 million lottery jackpot must pay $291,000 to her former boyfriend, who had claimed he gave her the money to buy the ticket.

The Orlando Sentinel (http://goo.gl/Jh4fh9 ) reports that the Seminole County jury reached its decision Thursday after deliberating for more than three hours.

The ex-boyfriend, 62-year-old Howard Browning, had claimed that he and his former girlfriend, 62-year-old Lynn Poirier, had an agreement to evenly split any lottery winnings.

Poirier denied making any such deal.

Poirier claimed the prize in 2007. Browning sued her a few months later. The jurors ruled that the couple had a binding contract and that Poirier had broken it.

Browning’s attorney says his client should be awarded an additional amount for interest that has grown over the years.