Maryland Mega Millions Winner: Is it Mirlande Wilson or Not?

Maryland's record-setting Mega Millions jackpot ticket-holder wishes to remain anonymous, according to Maryland lottery officials.

Whether or not it was purchased by a McDonald's employee who claimed to have the winning ticket -- or whether or not it was purchased for her employee pool -- remains a mystery. Lottery officials will not confirm whether or not Mirlande Wilson bought the ticket.

Wilson, a 37-year-old mother of seven and Haitian immigrant, reportedly was responsible for a Baltimore-area McDonald’s employee pool of Mega Millions tickets but said the winning ticket wasn’t part of that pool -- purchased as a side bet, instead. Wilson sought legal counsel, saying she was afraid someone will go after her for her money.

Last week, she appeared at a news conference in her lawyer's office in which she did not speak but her lawyer asked the press to leave her alone and said Wilson needed medical treatment for high blood pressure the week after the drawing

The next day News4's Shomari Stone asked her if she was going to claim her "winning" ticket. She replied, "If I find it... I misplaced it." She said she hid the ticket in the McDonald's where she works.

Maryland Lottery Director Stephen Martino said the winning ticket was sold about 7:15 p.m. on March 30 -- less than four hours before the drawing -- at the 7-Eleven on Liberty Avenue in Baltimore. It was a Quick Pick ticket and was the only one purchased at that time.

Whoever has the winning ticket will be cashing a big check. If the winner takes the annual payment option, he or she will get $18.6 million per year. If the winner takes a cash payout, he or she will take in $158 million, or a little more than $105 million after taxes.

The two other winning tickets for the record $656 million jackpot were sold in Illinois and Kansas.