Mega Millions McDonalds Winner A Fake–Three Real Winners Step Forward

The story that swept across the country about the McDonalds employee in Maryland who 'hid the ticket' at the restaurant she worked at was a fake.

Maryland lottery officials reported Tuesday that three teachers, who call themselves The Three Amigos, anonymously stepped forward with legitimate winning tickets, and each will receive just over 39 million dollars.   Lottery officials withheld their identities--as large winners are allowed to do-but said one was a woman in her 20's, a man in his 50's and another woman in her 40's, pooled their money to buy about 60 tickets.

  They had purchased them at various locations, buying tickets at three different outlets, and had pooled their money together.  They are all public school employees, whom Lottery officials said were "humbled" by their good fortune.

  This announcement brings to an end the story of Mirlande Wilson, the mother of seven who works at a McDonalds restaurant in Baltimore.  She claimed she had the winning ticket, but had hidden it at where she worked.  She alienated her co-workers because she had been a part of a 15 person pool who had vowed to share the money if won.    When she stepped forward and claimed she had the winning number, she figuratively 'threw her co-workers under the bus' by denying they had pledged to share the record jackpot if any of the 15 won.   Wilson will now fade back into oblivion, and while she got her 15 minutes of fame, she was not able to cash in on it.   Do you want fries with that?