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Merion Man Among 'SEPTA 48' To Win $107.5 Million Powerball Jackpot

Forty-eight SEPTA employees put money into an office Lottery pool for the April 25 drawing, as they always do for a jackpot over $100 million.

Forty-eight SEPTA employees, including Merion resident Kevin Derham, will share a $107.5 million jackpot after winning the Powerball Lottery on Wednesday, April 25.

One SEPTA worker, Bryant Vaders, purchased 120 quick-picked Powerball tickets during his lunch break for his office Lottery pool, according to a press release on the Pennsylvania Lottery website. The employees—also know as SEPTA 48—always put money into an office Lottery pool when the jackpot is over $100 million.

On Friday, May 4, Lottery Executive Director Todd Rucci presented a ceremonial check for $107,533,278.27 to the group of employees, who elected to take the cash value of the jackpot. Each winner will get roughly $2.2 million, less federal withholding, according to the press release.

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Vaders, who bought the tickets, said the group tries to go to different retailers to purchase tickets. The winning ticket was purchased at Newsstand at the Gallery, located at Ninth and Market Streets in Philadelphia. The ticket matched all five white balls, 04-25-29-34-43, and the red Powerball, 29, to win the third-largest Pennsylvania Lottery prize ever awarded, the release said.

“I was really busy when I got a call from Bryant that the winning ticket was sold at the Gallery,” said Pamela Schurgot, another group organizer and manager of contract grant compliance at SEPTA. “I thought he was messing around, but I dropped everything to check the tickets.” 

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“We won!” Schurgot yelled from her office.

She and nine other winners presented the ticket for validation at Lottery headquarters in Middletown, Dauphin County, and Lottery officials confirmed it was the jackpot-winning ticket after examining the ticket and executing proprietary security measures.

Though each of the 48 Lottery winners will take home more than $2 million, no one plans on an early retirement.

“No one plans to quit their jobs,” Schurgot said. “This money will just make everyone’s lives comfortable and free of financial stress.”  

As for the retailer that sold the winning ticket, Newsstand at the Gallery will receive a $100,000 bonus. The newsstand has been a Pennsylvania Lottery partner since 2001. 

For drawings results, winning numbers, winners’ stories and more, visit www.palottery.com.

A list of the winners: 

  • Phillip Madden, Huntingdon Valley, Montgomery County
  • Michael Piselli, Feasterville, Bucks County
  • Joseph Doyle, Bensalem, Bucks County
  • Joseph Kruczynski, Langhorne, Bucks County
  • Robert Kruczynski, Langhorne, Bucks County
  • James Lemongelli, Holland, Bucks County
  • Robert Chope, Hatboro, Montgomery County
  • Richard Drennen, Hatboro, Montgomery County
  • Matthew Sheridan, Hatboro, Montgomery County
  • Robert Landgraf, Abington, Montgomery County
  • Kevin Derham, Merion, Montgomery County
  • Emille Williams, Blue Bell, Montgomery County
  • Dawn Hill, Plymouth Meeting, Montgomery County
  • Leon Faulk, Willow Grove, Montgomery County
  • John Merrigan, Churchville, Bucks County
  • Harold Simmons, Sr., Philadelphia
  • Joseph Chimenti, Wilmington, Del.
  • Bryant Vaders, Philadelphia 
  • Tommy Wells, West Deptford, N.J. 
  • John Paradise, Chester Springs, Chester County 
  • Catherine Pinder, Carneys Point, N.J. 
  • Johnny Shtatman, Philadelphia 
  • Frederick Green, Philadelphia 
  • John Kerrigan, Philadelphia 
  • Hamzeh Abdallah, Marlton, N.J.
  • James Raymond, Jr., Philadelphia
  • Joseph D’Ambro, Philadelphia
  • Silvana Linquist, Philadelphia
  • Rebecca Ware, Wilmington, Del.; Bernice Kligerman, Philadelphia (splitting a share)
  • Luigi Pallante, Cherry Hill, N.J.
  • Marylouise Wagner, Essington, Delaware County
  • Rodney Crow, Haddon Heights, N.J. 
  • Geraldine Gaiser, Philadelphia 
  • Raymond Farreny, Haddonfield, N.J. 
  • Theresa Poole, Philadelphia 
  • Robin Hearn, Philadelphia 
  • Diane McAndrews, Philadelphia 
  • John Karcher, Kunkletown, Monroe County 
  • Linda Madden, Springfield, Delaware County 
  • Thomas Felder, Jr., Folsom, Delaware County
  • Daniel DiSantis, Marlton, N.J.
  • Donald Cleary, Philadelphia
  • Larry Green, Folcroft, Delaware County
  • Joseph Byrd, Philadelphia
  • Andrew Egan, Jr., Berlin, N.J.
  • Yolanda Mosley, Upper Darby, Delaware County
  • Anthony Angelone, Sewell, N.J.
  • Pamela Schurgot, Mantua, N.J.
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