Record lottery winner claims prize

• Source: Global Times
• [15:09 August 18 2010]
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By Chen Xiaoru

The mystery Shanghai resident who won China's second-largest ever lottery payout finally came forward to collect his 259 million yuan ($38.23 million) prize Tuesday.

The winner, a man surnamed Shen, remained silent for seven days after the winning numbers were announced on August 10. According to the lottery authorities, Shen walked away with around 198.92 million yuan ($29.27 million) after a donation to charity and 20 percent in tax was deducted.

"Since the winner is not willing to give his full name to the media, we can not reveal his identity," Ma Shaohua, director of the public relations department of the Shanghai Welfare Lottery Center, told the Global Times Tuesday.

According to Ma, the winner came to claim his prize without giving any notification beforehand.

The center had been planning to advertise across various media in an attempt to find him if he still had not come forward by the last 20 days of the 60-day deadline for claiming a lottery prize.

All Shanghai Welfare Lottery Center staff involved have signed a non-disclosure agreement to keep the winner's identity a secret.

With half of his 10.32 million yuan ($1.52 million) charity donation going to the disaster relief program in Zhouqu and half to needy families in Shanghai, Shen made himself the most generous charity donor of all China's lottery winners to date.