Westchester Co-Workers Split $1M Lottery Haul

A team of Westchester co-workers are each $100,000 richer on the heels of a seven-digit lottery haul.

The prize—won from the March 23 Powerball drawing—will be split six ways among a group of co-workes from Micromold Engineered Plastics in Yonkers.

The winners are Rafael Castillo, 57, of Yonkers; Humberto Campeche, 43, of Mamaroneck; Julio Sandoval, 41, of Yonkers; Angelito Cruz, 66, of Yonkers; Hermilo Garcia, 39, of New Rochelle; and Zah Tsung Da, 74, of Yonkers.

Some of the six have been playing the lottery together for 25 years, and each pitches in $5 when a handsome jackpot comes around.

Castillo was the lucky ticket buyer this time around, purchasing the numbers at Odell Wine & Liquor on Odell Avenue in Yonkers during his lunch break the day before the drawing.

After snagging the jackpot, the winners said their boss was concerned about losing a group of employees—but the winners said they plan to stick around.

"He thought we were all going to leave at once," Castillo said. "But we are all going to continue to work. The bills don't stop coming just because you win the lottery."

Castillo said he and the other winners will treat fellow employees to a special lunch.

"There are some people who had a chance to go in, but didn't," said Castillo. "We want to do something nice for everyone."

The $1 million prize, after being split six ways amongst the group and after withholdings, totals $110,299.66 each for Campeche and Garcia, and $108,094.66 each for Cruz, Castillo, Zah and Sandoval.

The winners had their ceremonial check presented at Empire City Casino in Yonkers Tuesday morning.

Also celebrating a New York Lottery win was Stamford, CT, resident Christine Hinspeter, 44.

She was visiting a friend in New Rochelle and bought a scratch-off ticket at Marina Deli on Pelham Road. She won $25 on it and then used her winnings to buy a 20X The Bucks ticket.

"So I buy this ticket and scratch it there and notice that I matched the 8s," Hinspeter said. "I flipped it over, realized the jackpot prize was $1 million and ran out of the store like my clothes were on fire."

Lottery officials said the 20X The Bucks prize is paid in 20 annual installments of $50,000 each. After withholdings, Hinspeter will receive 30 checks in the amount of $33,090. She said she has no plans for the money as of yet.