Powerball Winner: Thieves Cleaned Me Out

NEW YORK POST ^ | Jan 12, 11:35 AM EST

[indcons]

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) -- A man beset by problems since winning a record lottery jackpot says he can't pay a settlement to a casino worker because thieves cleaned out his bank accounts.

Powerball winner Jack Whittaker gave that explanation in a note last fall to a lawyer for Kitti French, who accused him of assaulting her at the Tri-State Racetrack and Gaming Center, a slots-only casino near Charleston, according to a motion French's lawyer filed this week demanding payment of the confidential settlement.

Whittaker won a nearly $315 million on Christmas 2002, then the largest undivided lottery prize in U.S. history. He took his winnings in a lump sum of $113 million after taxes.

[Old Professer]

I told him to stick to Viagra, but no, he'd have none of that; he wanted the big time and bought four cases of Cialis and threw away all his hat racks.

[dmw]

"...just like Bill Bennett...."

I didn't know Bill Benntt lost millions of dollars of his lottery winnings. News to me.

[jerry639]

Thank you for the information. I've always wondered about how a person could be protected that had over a hundred thousand in a bank. Not that I ever had that much.

[OCCASparky]

I've heard somewhere that something like 1/3 of all lottery winners (millionaire, not dollar scratchers) end up filing for bankruptcy in 2 years or less.

Hardly surprising. But we keep pushing this crap because "it's for the children"!

[subterfuge]

Yeah, the poor guy goes to golf tournaments knowing he'll fork over half of any winnings to his bookies. Those are his words.

[paulat]

I didn't know Bill Benntt lost millions of dollars of his lottery winnings. News to me.

No...I meant losing millions of dollars in casinos.

[LowOiL]

The lottery is just a tax on the stupid, but that's okay usually the stupid don't pay any taxes.

The makings of a great alternative tagline.

[dforest]

He must be a gambling addicted fool. Oh well, if thats what he wants.

[Tijeras_Slim]

I've heard somewhere that something like 1/3 of all lottery winners (millionaire, not dollar scratchers) end up filing for bankruptcy in 2 years or less.

My Brother-In-Law never tired of telling me that until I told him "That's because they gave money to their in-laws, I won't make that mistake."

[over3Owithabrain]

Whittaker won a nearly $315 million on Christmas 2002, then the largest undivided lottery prize in U.S. history. He took his winnings in a lump sum of $113 million after taxes.

Putting aside this guy's personal story, what a scam the lottery is! The government collects 300 mil from the public and only has to give 100 mil back.

[TC Rider]

Give the guy a little credit for his support of single mothers.

[AbeKrieger]

Anyone so cavalier with their money that they would allow this to happen, deserves the consequences.

[Reddy]

"Don't they realize that this stuff has happened in the past and they should take steps to keep it from happening to their selves?"

There are actually websites dedicated to "what to do if you when the lottery"!

http://www.note.com/note/pp/jackpot.html

It's hard to imagine that people blow all the money and end up destitute, but it is more common than not.

[AbeKrieger]

He's a casino visitor. Nuff said.

Casinos exist and succeed because the population of the very dumb continues to replicate itself.

[Attention Surplus Disorder]

Excellent comeback!

[Rakkasan1]

often by marriage.

[paulat]

Casinos exist and succeed because the population of the very dumb continues to replicate itself.

I'll give ya 2:1 on that one.... ;)

[NonValueAdded]

He should have just upgraded to a double-wide and stopped there.

[Tijeras_Slim]

Excellent comeback!

My boss told me it was a tax on people that were bad at math. I told him that at 146,000,000 to 1 the odds were infinitely better than my chances of getting rich working for him.

[dmw]

Thanks for clarifying that for me.