An anonymous man who won the $1.35 billion Mega Millions jackpot in 2023 and later sued his ex-partner, alleging she violated a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) by telling her family about the win, is now about to drop the case, or he’ll likely have to reveal his identity.
诉讼的原因是什么？
Referred to simply as “John Doe” in court documents, the man sued the mother of his child, identified as “Sara Smith,” seeking an injunction barring her from disclosing any further information about the jackpot. In addition, the man wanted Smith to identify everyone she had informed and pay compensatory damages of at least $100,000 for each alleged breach of the NDA.
The NDA was intended to promote Doe’s safety and security, and that of Smith and their daughter, court documents say. However, Smith’s attorneys claimed that she did not break the NDA and instead, the lawsuit was designed to pressure her amid an ongoing custody battle for the child. According to Smith, Doe had hired a private security team to follow her and her daughter daily.
根据法庭文件，该NDA旨在促进Doe及其安全，以及Smith和他们女儿的安全。但是，Smith的律师声称她没有违反NDA，相反，该诉讼是为了在正在进行的儿童监护权争夺中向她施压。据Smith称，Doe雇佣了一支私人安保队伍每天跟踪她和她的女儿。
The case has been going on for almost three years now, and it appears that Doe might drop it altogether because of a court ruling from last year. The 1st US Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a ruling from April 2025, which denies Doe’s request for a closed trial. This means that the man would have to reveal his identity if he wishes to proceed with the case.
The appellate panel agreed with the lower court judge’s decision, saying that such a closed trial would run “hard against [the] historic concept of what the courts are and what they are not in this country.” According to Doe’s attorneys, he was faced with an unavoidable Catch-22, as even if he were to win on his claims, his identity and confidential information would be revealed to the media and public.
Meanwhile, in an interview for the Portland Press Herald earlier this week, Peter Brann, one of Smith’s attorneys, said he plans to oppose the motion to dismiss because it was filed “without prejudice.” According to him, Doe can turn around and file another “baseless lawsuit” against the defendant.
同时，在本周早些时候接受《波特兰新闻先驱报》采访时，Smith的律师Peter Brann表示他计划反对撤销动议，因为它是"无偏见地"提出的。据他说，Doe可以转身再次对被告提起另一起"无根据诉讼"。