$254 million Powerball winner found

ROCKY HILL, Conn. (WTNH/AP) - Three asset managers from Connecticut's affluent New York suburbs claimed a $254 million Powerball jackpot on Monday off a $1 ticket.

Gregg Skidmore, Brandon Lacoff and Tim Davidson came forward as trustees for The Putnam Avenue Family Trust, which they formed after Davidson bought the winning ticket at a Stamford gas station. At least two of them live in Greenwich, one of America's wealthiest towns.

They will take the after-tax lump sum of nearly $104 million in cash. They say a significant portion will go to charity.

"Since the winning numbers were drawn, all of our attention has been to getting to this point," said Jason Kurland, winners' attorney. "At this point we haven't even thought about what the use of the money is going to be, although we do know that a significant amount is going to Connecticut charities."

Davidson bought the $1 quick pick ticket for the Nov. 2 drawing at the Shippan Point Getty station in Stamford. It was the only ticket he bought.

"And then that night, one of the local TV stations had the winning numbers and the powerball number was wrong on the TV screen," said Kurland, "so that put them into a little bit of a tizzy."

A computer chose the random numbers of 12-14-34-39-46, Powerball 36.

The jackpot was the largest ever won in Connecticut and the 12th biggest in Powerball history.

The three men work at a small, startup asset management firm called Belpoint Capital in Greenwich. The company manages $82 million, according to the SEC.

Skidmore, the company's president and chief investment officer, is a former member of the U.S. sailing team who was once an Olympic hopeful, according to the company's website.

Davidson's online biography says he grew up in Switzerland, France and the United Kingston and started his career in financial markets in 1979 with a French bank. He has worked in New York, Paris and London and is a senior portfolio manager and wealth adviser.

Lacoff, the site says, co-founded Belpointe and owns others businesses and properties on Connecticut's shoreline, including companies that manage the assets of individuals and institutions.

They appeared with their lawyer at a news conference and didn't say much.

"It feels good," Skidmore said.

Lottery officials had used billboards across the state to urge the ticket holder to come forward as the weeks went by without a winner.

Ranjit Singh, manager of the Getty station, said lottery officials called the station at about 10:30 a.m. Monday to announce that the winning ticket had been sold there. The station receives $100,000 for selling the winning ticket.

Singh said he didn't know the winners and doesn't remember selling the winning ticket.

"We're really happy," Singh said. "Christmas is a little early."