Lotto winner shares his millions
2008-12-24 22:12
Brussels - The Christmas spirit reigns in the Belgium village of Riemst, where a lottery winner is giving half his €7.5m scoop to the poor, reports said on Wednesday.
The Flemish commune's mysterious "Father Christmas", as one newspaper dubbed him, says he intends to share his massive win from the EuroMillions draw on December 12.
"His first gesture: cheques for 1 000 litres of fuel for 100 poor families," according to Hubert Cleuren, who heads an aid agency in the village of 16 000, located near the Dutch border.
The mysterious benefactor has requested to remain anonymous, but reports say he is about 50 years old and a father of two.
Guido Coenegrachts, who sold the man his winning ticket, says this "Santa" has faced hard times himself.
- AFP