>
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.
Since then, he has faced his granddaughter’s death by drug overdose; he has been sued for bouncing checks at Atlantic City, N.J., casinos; he has been ordered to undergo rehab after being arrested on drunken driving charges; his vehicles and business have been burglarized; and he has been sued by the father of an 18-year-old boy, a friend of his granddaughter’s, who was found dead in Whittaker’s house.
In the latest lawsuit, Whittaker told French’s lawyer, John Barrett, that “a team of crooks” cashed checks in September at 12 City National Bank branches and “got all my money,” according to the motion Barrett filed Wednesday in state court.
“I intend to pay but can’t without any money,” Whittaker wrote, according to the motion.
An official with City National Bank said Friday the bank is investigating “small discrepancies” in Whittaker’s accounts.
Calls to Whittaker and his lawyers Friday were not immediately returned.
The Lo Zone 
>the jack whittaker story is one of many, many, riches to rags stories coming from lottery winners (he was a wealthy man from his contracting/construction business before winning the powerball) he was having a grip, to a degree, on everything, press, people begging for money, but when his granddaughter died from a drug overdose, his world completely fell apart. there are so many stories to tell about jack, i won't go into detail. but i'm sure he won't be too broke for long……hollywood is callin'!
LikeLike
>oh, by the way…the latest powerball jackpot is $180,000,000 dollars.that's right ladies and gentlemen…i got my tickets, have you? if you do play, don't be cheep…play powerball with power play for an extra $1. that way, if you don't win the jackpot, but you win anything from the powerball only, which is $3 to a combination of 1 of 5 numbers selected and/or the powerball….your winnings are multiplied by random drawing from 1 to 5.case in point: last saturday's winning number was:1-21-23-25-26 powerball 4 power play 2that 2 is what is multiplied, so if you have just the powerball which is the number 4, that's a $3 win…it's $3 x 2 = $6 winnings.now, i live in new york and we have the mega millions lottery…..the closest state for me to play the powerball is connecticut…and for a $180+ million????….i'll make that nice 45 miles drive to the end of that rainbow….and a window shop stop at the ferrari dealership along the way… 😉
LikeLike
>Be careful what you wish for, Lance!!!
LikeLike
>Jack Whittaker is in WV which is part of the Powerball network and was already a millionaire when he won. I remember when they found his granddaughter — that was sad, but this guy is a total jerk. He would carry around unbelievable amounts of cash in his pickup and wonder why he had been robbed.Jack, like my oldest son, is a magnet for "shit happening" and nothing surprises me about him.Now, if I by any chance should ever win the powerball I would collect it in the name of a trust and no one would every know that I had won. The full time personal trainer and nutritionist may raise eyebrows but I'll park my Bentley around the corner.
LikeLike
>Is this the guy who gave a lump sum of money to two Pastors after he won and people were wondering if they were going to turn it down since it was lottery money?The only "preacher" I know of that turned down money was Moses (who really wasn't even a preacher). He called for an offering to build the temple and told the people to stop giving because they had more money than they could stand. Imagine that in today's age.
LikeLike
>wishing g-g? i'm prayin'!!!!! 0;-)hey juan, meet me at the bentley dealership in greenwich, ct..it's right across the street from the ferrari showroom!!!!y'all think i'm lying…i'm for real!!!
LikeLike
>Lance, sounds like a plan but if you want to do it locally my Benz dealer also sales RR and Bentley, dang a Mabach would even be niceOn the real, I am typically pretty lucky so maybe I should start playing.Last year I won a car in a raffle and two years before that I won $30K in a pick-4 lottery drawing.
LikeLike
>Juan G…we have powerball here so I need you to pick my lotto numbers…I'll split it 50/50…hee heeI've heard stories of folks winning the lottery and then ending up flat broke. I don't see how but I guess it happens.
LikeLike
>Ya'll just don't forget your boy Rich, stuck here in the Midwest.I think I better start vibrating higher and draw some of these dollars to me. I won't crack or fold when they start falling.
LikeLike
>"I won $30K in a pick-4 lottery drawing." – Juanhow did you do that, $6 bucks on a pick-4 straight drawing?i ain't mad at ya!…had i known you were a lotto playa, we could have strategize some theories for "consumption"…if you know what i mean. the big drawing is tonight!!!
LikeLike
>Come on Rich, Moses turned down money? Wasn't he Jewish? That has to be a fable.Oh! Have to go, got Mel Gibson on line 1.
LikeLike