[font=Verdana,Sans-serif]DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - A man who immigrated from Kenya to the United States found prosperity beyond his expectations on the day he became a U.S. citizen.[/font]
[font=Verdana,Sans-serif]Shortly after Moses Bittok, of West Des Moines, took the oath of citizenship on Friday, he discovered he had a $1.89 million winning ticket from the Iowa Lottery's Hot Lotto game.[/font]
[font=Verdana,Sans-serif]"It's almost like you adopted a country and then they netted you $1.8 million," Bittok said Monday as he cashed in his ticket. "It doesn't happen anywhere - I guess only in America."[/font]
[font=Verdana,Sans-serif]Bittok said he took the citizenship oath at the federal building in Des Moines Friday then went shopping with his family. They stopped at a gas station to check his lottery ticket from the Sept. 21 drawing.[/font]
[font=Verdana,Sans-serif]"For some reason, I'm calm," he said. His wife, Leonida, screamed.[/font]
[font=Verdana,Sans-serif]Bittok, 40, an officer at the Iowa Correctional Institute for Women in Mitchellville, said he doesn't know exactly what he will do with his winnings, but a college fund for the couples 4-year-old daughter, Mindy, is top priority.[/font]
[font=Verdana,Sans-serif]Bittok chose to receive his winnings in 25 annual payments of about $52,920 after taxes.
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[font=Verdana,Sans-serif]http://apnews.myway.com/article/20050926/D8CS4S1G0.html
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[font=Verdana,Sans-serif]Shortly after Moses Bittok, of West Des Moines, took the oath of citizenship on Friday, he discovered he had a $1.89 million winning ticket from the Iowa Lottery's Hot Lotto game.[/font]
[font=Verdana,Sans-serif]"It's almost like you adopted a country and then they netted you $1.8 million," Bittok said Monday as he cashed in his ticket. "It doesn't happen anywhere - I guess only in America."[/font]
[font=Verdana,Sans-serif]Bittok said he took the citizenship oath at the federal building in Des Moines Friday then went shopping with his family. They stopped at a gas station to check his lottery ticket from the Sept. 21 drawing.[/font]
[font=Verdana,Sans-serif]"For some reason, I'm calm," he said. His wife, Leonida, screamed.[/font]
[font=Verdana,Sans-serif]Bittok, 40, an officer at the Iowa Correctional Institute for Women in Mitchellville, said he doesn't know exactly what he will do with his winnings, but a college fund for the couples 4-year-old daughter, Mindy, is top priority.[/font]
[font=Verdana,Sans-serif]Bittok chose to receive his winnings in 25 annual payments of about $52,920 after taxes.
[/font]
[font=Verdana,Sans-serif]http://apnews.myway.com/article/20050926/D8CS4S1G0.html
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