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$50M lotto won by Sagkeeng family

Last Updated: Sunday, November 8, 2009 | 4:23 PM CT

A Sagkeeng First Nation family in Manitoba is $50 million richer after their ticket came up the winner in Friday evening's Lotto Max draw.

CBC News has confirmed from relatives that Kirby Fontaine and his family are the lucky winners. Media reports identified his wife as Marie Fontaine.

Robert Mulholland, Fontaine's uncle, told CBC News his nephew and his family have gone into hiding.

Reports said the family left the First Nation community in a limousine bound for Winnipeg, about 150 kilometres south, on Friday or early Saturday.

The prize is not quite a record in Canada, but it is close to the $54.3 million awarded in 2005 on a Lotto 6/49 draw. In that jackpot, 17 Alberta oil and gas workers split the money.

There has been no official confirmation about the win from the Western Canada Lottery Corporation.

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