Luís Ribeiro and Cristina Simões won the EuroMillions on January 19, 2007. But the €15 million (£12.4m) jackpot ended up tearing the couple apart as they ended up in court

In a charming town, Luís Ribeiro and Cristina Simões had built their relationship on shared dreams and small traditions.

Every week, without fail, they combined their money to purchase a EuroMillions lottery ticket at a local café, a simple ritual that symbolised their hopes for a brighter future.

Then, on January 19, 2007, the unimaginable occurred – they won the €15million (£12.4m) jackpot. However, it didn’t conclude as they anticipated and, following a Brit claiming the latest mega EuroMillions jackpot, we delve into their tale.

Along with Cristina’s parents, they journeyed from Barcelos in Portugal to the capital Lisbon to claim the colossal prize from Santa Casa da Misericórdia, Portugal’s national lottery authority. The winnings were subsequently deposited into several accounts at Caixa de Crédito Agrícola, a regional bank.

Importantly, the money wasn’t solely in Luís and Cristina’s names, but also in the names of Cristina’s parents.

Initially, the fortune appeared to solidify their bond. The couple discussed how they would utilise the money and agreed to divide the interest generated by the winnings, providing both of them financial security.

They talked about travel, investments, and even marriage, a future now more achievable than ever, reports the Mirror.

However, the money ended up changing their lives in unexpected ways. The relationship began to fracture when Luís wanted to withdraw his share of the winnings to support his own family. Cristina’s parents, however, denied him access, insisting that financial decisions should only be made post-marriage. The attitude offended Luís, who had always believed the winnings were equally theirs.

Their relationship quickly soured. The tension reached a climax in 2008, when Luís, exasperated and unable to access what he thought was rightfully his, took a drastic measure – he filed a legal injunction that froze all the bank accounts associated with the lottery winnings.

With the money inaccessible, the disagreement spiralled into a bitter legal fight that would last for over a decade. The central question in the case was straightforward but contentious: Who was the rightful owner of the €15 million?

Luís was resolute – he and Cristina had bought the winning ticket together, as they had done every other week for years. He contended that their long-standing tradition was evidence of an implicit agreement to split any winnings equally.

Cristina, on the other hand, refuted this, asserting that she had purchased the winning ticket by herself. If true, this would mean the fortune was legally hers alone, and she was prepared to battle for it.

The Barcelos Court was the first to pass judgement on the case, ruling in favour of Luís. The court acknowledged that the couple had a history of purchasing lottery tickets together, setting a precedent for joint ownership.

However, Cristina wasn’t willing to accept this decision and appealed it, taking the matter to the Guimarães Court of Appeal. Once again, the court sided with Luís, upholding the notion that the lottery win was a collective endeavour and thus, the prize money should be divided equally.

Despite suffering two legal setbacks, Cristina remained undeterred and escalated the case to Portugal’s Supreme Court, hoping for a final verdict in her favour.

Meanwhile, as the legal proceedings dragged on, the winnings remained untouched in frozen bank accounts.

Interestingly, time proved beneficial for the couple’s financial situation – by the time the Supreme Court delivered its final ruling, the original €15 million had swelled to €16 million due to accrued interest.

Despite Cristina’s persistent appeals, the Supreme Court maintained the previous rulings. The final decision was clear: the winnings were to be split evenly. When the legal dust finally settled, Luís and Cristina were no longer together.

Their relationship, once founded on love and shared aspirations, was now irreparably damaged.

Luís emerged victorious after years of struggle, yet the win came with a heavy heart due to the emotional strain it caused. As a farmer still residing in his parents’ home, he shared with local news outlets: “My life goes on, and it will go on the same way”.

Cristina, once an excited bride-to-be, found herself entrapped in a fight for a fortune she had hoped to keep.