Lead Stories' Trendolizer detected as trending a false report that one of the three winning Powerball tickets for the $1.6 billion jackpot was bought by a "27-year-old hedge fund manager Jared Price from Chino Hills, California." This is a hoax story published by a website that uses sensational untrue headlines to make money off gullible readers.
The hoax story says the California winner, who was already "one of the richest 'Under 30' making millions of dollars as the head of Spiegel International," purchased 15,000 Powerball tickets. "I picked my own numbers for the ticket," the fictional winner is quoted saying. "They were all random. Whatever numbers come into my head I pick. I never play the lottery, so this is all new to me."
"I already have more than anyone would ever need, so this is just icing on the cake," he allegedly said.
In truth, as of Thursday afternoon no one had publicly stepped forward to claim a share of the huge prize. Lottery officials have only said that they know three tickets were sold at a 7-Eleven in Chino Hills, California, Naifeh's Food Mart in Munford, Tennesse and at a Publix grocery in Melbourne Beach, Florida.