A pair of retired New Jersey police officers – including one who won a six-figure settlement after suing the department — are now $1 million lottery winners, according to reports.
Sara and Niles Malvasia’s latest windfall was the result of a $20 Powerball ticket they picked up from a 7-Eleven in Hackensack, where the married couple worked as cops.
It adds to a $110,000 settlement Sara won against the city last October.
She sued for civil rights violations, blaming the city for doing nothing to help her hubby who suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder after witnessing a shooting while on the job.
Niles became physically abusive toward Sara – leading her to attempt suicide in 2016 by downing Valium pills, according to the federal complaint.
Under terms of the settlement, Sara — who was then a sergeant and the first Hispanic woman to become a Hackensack cop – retired in March, according to NorthJersey.com.
Niles retired in March 2017.
On Tuesday, the Malvasias, who live in Washington Township, were announced as winners in the Jan. 6 drawing by the New Jersey Lottery. They hit five of five numbers– but not the Powerball — which would have scored them a record $559.7 million.
“We’re very grateful and thankful,” said Sara, the official claimant of the ticket. “That same night [Niles] checked it and he saw that he won. He had given it to me so I could turn it over for my birthday.”
They plan to use the money to move to Florida in the next few years.
“We were already planning it — but this of course helps,” she said.



