James Farthing, a lucky lottery winner, found himself in a spot of trouble just days after securing an astonishing $167.3 million Powerball jackpot, which equates to roughly £126m. His purchase of a mere $2 ticket led to what is believed to be the largest lottery win in Kentucky’s history.
The joy of his win was palpable as James and his mother, Linda Grizzle, posed with the prize cheque. However, things took a turn just four days later when James was arrested following an alleged altercation at a Florida hotel.
According to an arrest affidavit from the Pinellas County Circuit Court, provided by the sheriff’s office, James is accused of assaulting another hotel guest and striking the intervening officer. His partner, Jaqueline Fightmaster, also faced charges of disorderly intoxication and was taken into custody. While Jacqueline was released the next day, James remains detained due to a parole violation from a previous incident in Kentucky.
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This unfortunate turn of events is reminiscent of the tragic fate of Brazilian lottery winner Antonio Lopes Siqueira, who won a $32 million jackpot with a ticket costing less than a dollar. His luck was short-lived as he passed away a few weeks after his win, following a dental surgery procedure that took a tragic turn. His death, which occurred during the operation, raised uncertainty about the cause, with authorities awaiting the results of the autopsy to clarify the circumstances.