Some people are just not meant to be rich, even when luck grants them all the fortune in the world. So as Trinbagonians fantasize about winning the 30 million dollar jackpot this Saturday, let’s take a look at 10 people from around the world who hit the big time and managed to f*@k it up.
10. Sharon Tirabassi
In 2004 Sharon won around 10 million Canadian dollars (about 48 million TTD) in an Ontario lottery. Mrs. Tirabassi made it rain on a “big house, fancy cars, designer clothes, lavish parties, exotic trips, handouts to family and loans to friends.” Less than a decade later she’s back riding the bus, working part-time, and trying to pay her rent.
9. Evelyn Adams
Against all odds, in the mid-1980′s Adams won the lottery twice, once in 1985
and again in 1986. The New Jersey native won a cool $5.4 million USD, but it alleged that she gambled it all away in Atlantic City.
Today she resides in a trailer park.
8. Michael Carroll
Michael Carroll was at his peak when he won Britain’s £9.7 million($90 million TTD). However, a love for life in the fast lane — cocaine, parties, hookers, and cars — put him back at square one in five years. Last reports were that the ex-garbage man was trying to get his old job back.
7. Andrew Jackson Whittaker Jr.
In 2002, West Virginia building contractor Andrew Jackson Whittaker Jr. walked away with $114 million after taxes on a $315 Million multi-state Power ball draw!!! However,that was just about his last stroke of good fortune.
In two separate instances, thieves ran off with $745,000 Whittaker stashed in his car. Later on, he was sued by Caesar’s Atlantic City for allegedly bouncing $1.5 million in checks.
Amazingly within four years, his fortune was gone.
6. Willie Hurt
Willie won a $3.1 million jackpot in the Michigan Lottery.
Fast-forward two years later and Hurt got divorced, lost custody of his children, was charged with attempted murder, and became a crack head.
The habit was so bad that it sucked away the rest of his entire winnings.
5. Denise Rossi
When Denise Rossi won $1.3 million in the California lotto, she left her husband without a word. Her husband, Thomas, knew something was up, but agreed to divorce her anyway. Two years later, he intercepted a letter at his new L.A. pad revealing the truth.
He sued Denise for not disclosing her winnings in the divorce, and the judge awarded Thomas every cent.
4. Janite lee
After winning an $18 million lottery jackpot in 1993 (almost Ah hundred and twenty million TTD), Janite Lee’s earnings were gone within a decade.
The St. Louis Post Dispatch reports Lee, a wig maker from South Korea, blew her winnings on charity.
A reading room was named after her at Washington University’s law school, and she was a big time donor for the Democratic Party.
But her giving hand, coupled with a little gambling addiction helped drain her accounts.
3. Luke Pittard
Welsh-born Luke Pittard won a £1.3 million jackpot in 2006, but spent it all on a trip to the Canary Islands, a wedding and a house.
A year and a half later, Pittard was forced to take a job at McDonald’s flipping burgers.
He says he’s happy, and at least was able to salvage some of his leftover winnings, which are collecting interest.
2. Callie Rogers
Teen mom Callie Rogers was too young, or too dumb to spend her money wisely. Callie Rogers was just 16 when she won £1.9 in the U.K.’s lottery (about 18 million TTD) in 2003; too young to know how to manage her money or where it would lead her.
Rogers hooked up with a guy, had two children, then blew the rest on partying, vacations and gifts for her friends.
Now Rogers works as a cleaning woman and is reportedly facing bankruptcy.
1. Gerald Muswagon
In 1998, Gerald Muswagon won the $10 million Super 7 jackpot (almost 50 million TTD) in Canada. In 7 years he partied and drank away every cent. WTF!
Filled with remorse, Muswagon hanged himself in his parents’ garage in 2005.
