The New Jersey Lottery revealed the identities of the three recent Jersey Cash 5 winners in a news release Thursday.
Two of the three people who have won the largest Jersey Cash 5 prizes of the year made their lucky purchases at the stores where they work.
One is an accountant who had to take on a second job after her employer made her part-time and eliminated her health benefits. The New Jersey Lottery revealed the identities of the three winners in a news release Thursday.
The accountant, Tamara Hee of Nanuet, N.Y., won $1,114,664 with a ticket she bought Sept. 10 at Foodtown in Old Tappan. Before winning she took a job as a deli clerk at the supermarket to supplement her income.
Hee said she'll use the money to buy health insurance, put her sons through college and take "maybe one little warm vacation."
The winner of the biggest Jersey Cash 5 prize of the year -- Jorge Alejando of Jersey City -- used some of the $1,256,093 he won on May 12 to become a part owner of Jefry Supermarket -- the store where bought the lucky ticket and previously worked as a clerk.
An Englewood Cliffs man purchased the other $1 million-plus ticket. Gaetano Di Staulo bought 10 tickets at the HK Circle Mini Mart in Dumont for the Aug. 5 drawing and one matched all five numbers. Di Staulo's pre-tax prize was $1,225,505.
Monday's jackpot of $1,136,488 will be shared by two winners.
Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.