Jack Whittaker (lottery winner)

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Andrew Jackson “Jack” Whittaker, Jr. (born c. 1947 in Jumping Branch, Summers County, West Virginia) is a West Virginia businessman who became famous when he won US$315 million in the Powerball multi-state lottery. At the time it was the largest jackpot ever won by a single winning ticket in the history of American lottery. He has become even more famous since his win due to several well-publicized brushes with the law as well as personal and family tragedies.

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[edit] The big win

Whittaker was the 55-year-old president of Diversified Enterprises Construction, a successful contracting firm in Putnam County, West Virginia, when he chose the correct numbers on December 25, 2002. Whittaker had a net worth of over US$1 million even before his Powerball windfall. Whittaker purchased the winning Powerball ticket at a supermarket in Hurricane, West Virginia, where he had stopped for a deli breakfast sandwich.

The jackpot that day was a US$314.9 million annuity or US$170 million cash. Whittaker chose the cash payment option and received a check for US$113.4 million after tax withholdings.

[edit] Philanthropy

Whittaker pledged 10% of his winnings to Christian charities—including several churches affiliated with the Church of God—in southern West Virginia. One of the beneficiary congregations constructed a multi-million dollar church in Hurricane. He also donated $14 million to establish the Jack Whittaker Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides food and clothing to low-income families in rural West Virginia. Furthermore, he tipped the woman who sold him the winning ticket by buying her a house and a new car.

[edit] Legal and personal problems

The pressures of his new wealth also caused numerous problems. Whittaker has been arrested several times and has had numerous well-publicized legal and family problems.

On August 5, 2003, thieves broke into his car while it was parked at the Pink Pony, a strip club in Cross Lanes, West Virginia. The thieves went away with $545,000 in cash [1][2]. Two employees at the same club were later arrested and charged with a plot to put drugs in Whittaker's drinks and then rob him. On January 25, 2004, thieves once again broke into his car, this time making off with an estimated $100,000 in cash.

Jack Whittaker was then arrested for drunk driving on Interstate 64 on January 16, 2003. If convicted, he could face up to 6 months in jail. On January 6, 2004, Whittaker was arrested for misdemeanor assault after allegedly threatening the life of a bar manager in St. Albans, West Virginia, a charge that could bring an additional 6 months in jail. He has also been sued after allegedly groping a woman at a dog racetrack. Whittaker told a TV station after he was charged with drunken driving, "It doesn't bother me because I can tell everyone to kiss off."

In September 2003, Jesse Tribble, a 17-year-old friend of Jack's granddaughter Brandi Bragg, was found dead in Whittaker's home in Teays Valley, West Virginia. A coroner's report indicated that he died of a drug overdose. Several months later, on December 20, 2004, Brandi, 17, was found dead after a drug overdose. After she had been missing for several weeks, her body was discovered lying under a tarpaulin near her boyfriend's home in Scott Depot.

At an October 11, 2005 hearing related to his January 2003 DUI, a visibly shaken Whittaker lashed out at area law enforcement agencies for focusing on his troubles while failing to arrest anyone in relation to his granddaughter's death [3],

“ "Go after whoever killed my granddaughter with as much zealous [sic] as these butt holes are trying to convict me of something I didn’t do." ”

Whittaker is also being sued by Caesars Atlantic City casino for bouncing $1.5 million worth of checks to cover gambling losses. Whittaker is also countersuing them, claiming that his losses were supposed to be credited due to a slot machine he developed and that they in fact owe him money. [4]

On January 11, 2007, Jack Whittaker announced that thieves on September 11, 2006 took most of the money [1]. The robbers, according to his account, went to 12 National City Corp. and cashed 12 checks. The incident came to light because Whittaker has not been paying money to a woman that had previously sued him. Kitti French filed a complaint earlier in the week, requesting court costs and money from Jack Whittaker.

On March 26, 2007, Jack Whittaker settled a wrongful death civil suit. The unexpected deal came not long after Whittaker was questioned about whether his money and alleged lack of supervision contributed to the death of 18-year-old Jessie Tribble. Whittaker defended providing his granddaughter, Brandi Bragg, with a 21-hundred dollar a week allowance. James Tribble alleges an un-parented Bragg funded the drug buy that let his 18-year-old son Jessie die of a drug overdose in Whittaker's house. Following Whittaker's testimony, a deal was reached. James Tribble said there was no winner in the suit after the settlement was reported. Earlier Christie Tribble testified that she gave her son 20-dollars just before he died, but thought he was joking about buying drugs.

[edit] Notes

  1. ↑  "Rich Man, Poor Man", Washington Post, Jan. 30, 2005.
  2. ↑  "One wild ride for jackpot winner", USA Today, Feb. 12, 2004.
  3. ↑  West Virginia Metro News, Oct. 11, 2005.
  4. ↑  "Largest Single Powerball Winner in US History"

[edit] External links

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