Woman wins car - but station won't give it to her and threatens to tell Immigration about her ...

[The Straight Story]

Big prize causes big trouble

CHICAGO, Jan. 25 (UPI) -- A woman living in the United States illegally says a radio station refused to give her the Corvette she won and threatened to turn her in if she sued.

Maribel Nava Alvarez, 22, told the Chicago Sun-Times station WLEY-FM, Chicago, chose her as the winner of a car that belonged to Mexican singer Juan Rivera in a 2005 raffle.

Alvarez, who is suing the station and its owner, the Spanish Broadcasting System, said she was told the winner only had to be present at the drawing and nothing was said about residency.

But when she claimed her prize, she was told she could not have it because she was an undocumented alien.

In her suit alleging breach of contract and emotional distress, Alvarez said when an SBS attorney found out she planned to sue, he threatened to tip off federal authorities to her immigration status, the Sun-Times said.

http://www.newsdaily.com/Quirks/UPI-1-20070125-16405700-bc-us-winner.xml

[Wizard777]

1. They should give her the car. With a GPS driving diretions system.

Set to only give directions back to Mexico.

[cynatnite]

2. Hope she gets a lawyer and sues the crap out of them n/t

[AlCzervik]

3. i wonder if the fine print had "Open to US residents only" many contest

things do.

[tammywammy]

6. I've never seen a contest that didn't say that

And the radio stations around here always say that complete rules are available at the radio station.

[AlCzervik]

9. if her contract read that way i don't see how her not getting the car violates

the contract--not taking sides here just pointing out what the courts might say.

[mike_c]

19. it's my understanding that she IS a U.S. resident....

Residency and citizenship are two different things.

[AlCzervik]

22. thats very true so it's all up to how it's worded, i would be interested to

see if the radio station makes a copy of the contract available or i guess they will if it actually goes to court.

[mike_c]

23. I'd be surprised if any lawyer would take her case without having seen...

...the contract in order to determine whether there IS a case or not.

[AlCzervik]

25. i wouldn't.

[Selatius]

26. This depends if she obtained residency lawfully or unlawfully.

If she rented an apartment and she produced a fake social security card and a fake ID to the landlord, then unless the landlord has any reason to doubt otherwise, he'll give her the apartment, but the law would say the contract is null and void for the fact that she is here illegally. You can't knowingly rent to an illegal alien without opening yourself up to criminal prosecution.

[Orangepeel]

28. the story says she's living in the US illegally.

Of course, it could be wrong.

[mike_c]

30. yes, I understand, but she is "living in the U.S."-- that's residency....

Proof of RESIDENCY might require things she can't provide, like a drivers license, but on the other hand she might have one. Or a year's worth of utility bills, or something of that nature.

[Art_from_Ark]

31. But legal residency and illegal residency are also 2 different things

Quite the legal gray area here, it seems

[WI_DEM]

4. Wouldn't she have to pay taxes on it too?

[theoldman]

5. Generally you have to pay taxes on a prize.

That is why many people have to sell it.

[AlCzervik]

7. yes, it's considered income. Remember Oprah's "You get a car, you get a car"?

many of the teachers couldn't afford the taxes on it.

[rinsd]

8. Oh yeah. Prizes are considered income

Remember the Oprah car giveaway that turned sour briefly because people got the tax bill(I think she ended up paying the taxes)?

Depending on the Vette's blue book value she could be looking at quite a hefty tax bill that will have to be paid. She will have to pay the bill or sell the car or just flat out forfeit the prize altogether.

Another poster brought up that many contests have fine print offering them to US residents only.

[AlCzervik]

10. huh! Great minds and at the exact same time!

:toast:

[rinsd]

11. Crazy, but now I can't find out how that was resolved.

I was under the impression that Oprah ultimately helped with anyone who needed it but I can't find a story on the web anywhere.

Do you remember any resolution beyond these people getting a tax bill?

:toast:

[AlCzervik]

13. i think alot of them sold their car, between the insurance and the taxes

i think it didn't make sense for many of them to try and manage on it on a teachers salary--all teachers should be paid way more.

[rinsd]

14. We pay administration types way too fucking much.

Consultants, experts, legal counsel etc.

Just fucking pay the people that really matter.

Sorry for the f-bombs but teacher pay is one of those issues that gets you shaking your head at the illogic of it all.

[AlCzervik]

15. i agree totally, teachers, health care workers, day care workers

the people that are education the next generation and taking care of us in our final years are treated and paid like shit in this country.

[rinsd]

17. Even the most rapacious of Capitalist republicans has to understand that basic fact

And I say that as someone who does believe in the power of capitalism.

Education is the only way to real wealth creation(not redistribution) at the top and bottom.

It is the ultimate capital venture.

[juajen]

16. If she had, I believe that taxes would be due, also,

on the gift of paid taxes.

[rinsd]

18. True but then you can figure percentages

If you give someone extra cash to cover taxes on a prize and the taxes on that cash handout, the winner could just get the car.

[MrSlayer]

12. Seems reasonable to me.

If she's here illegally they ought to deport her.

[Selatius]

20. This woman will likely never claim the car because the IRS will report her to ICE for deportation.

She also likely has a fraudulent social security card and fake ID. Otherwise, nobody would hire her, and an employer is prohibited from investigating a person simply because they're the "wrong skin color." If she has no criminal record and gives the employer no probable cause, then the employer has no reason to expect she is anything but what the forged documents say she is, and if the employer thought otherwise and tried to do something about the workers with "wrong skin color," he could potentially face a discrimination lawsuit from workers who are American citizens.

If the woman shows up to collect the car, she will likely be arrested by the police or the IRS or ICE. She is, for all practical purposes, better off leaving the country unless she can obtain a different fraudulent social security card and different fake ID and give herself a makeover because her old identity is now a known identity by the authorities.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

21. What a horrible bunch of bastards.

[mondo joe]

24. Y'know, if you are in the country illegally you might want to go more low-profile

than that.

[Canuckistanian]

29. I'm surprised the INS hasn't knocked on her door already

Or that Tom Tancredo hasn't made a citizen's arrest.

[LTR]

27. It could have been worse

At least they didn't make her drink water.

:spank:

All kidding aside, considering that station markets itself toward a Spanish-speaking audience, they really handled this poorly.