Pedro Quezada, the New Jersey man who won the $338 million Powerball jackpot, reportedly owes thousands of dollars in unpaid child support.
“Because of Mr. Quezada’s large winnings, generally the New Jersey Division of Lottery would satisfy the judgment before all of the winnings are released,” Passaic County Sheriff Richard H. Berdnik told NorthJersey.com on Wednesday.
“Like everyone else, until this warrant is satisfied, Mr. Quezada, is subject to potential arrest,” he added.
Quezada, a 44-year-old father of five, owes $29,000 in child support, the website reported. Officers stopped by his apartment on Wednesday with a several-year-old warrant.
Quezada, an immigrant from the Dominican Republic, validated the winning ticket in Passaic, New Jersey, earlier this week. He said that he would stop working at the store he operated, but he did not elaborate too much about past financial problems.
His Apple Deli & Grocery now has a “for sale” sign on the front door, reported Reuters
Lottery officials said that because he will take a lump sum payment option instead of yearly payments for 30 years, Quezada will get around $211 million.
A spokesman for Passaic County Sheriff Richard Berdnik says the sheriff’s office’s warrant squad is attempting to find Quezada to resolve the matter.
The unpaid child support payments go back to 2009. It’s not known which of Quezada’s five children are covered under the payments.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
