Jack Whittaker (lottery winner)
Encyclopedia
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$314.9 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 garnered even more publicity since his win due to several well-publicized brushes with the law as well as personal tragedies.
, when he chose the correct numbers for the December 25, 2002 drawing. Whittaker had a net worth of over US$17 million 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 and to get fuel for his Lincoln Navigator
.
The jackpot that day was a US$314.9 million annuity or US$170 million cash. Whittaker chose the cash option
and received a check for approximately US$114 million after tax withholdings.
. 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 worked the biscuit counter at the convenience store where he bought the winning ticket by buying her a $123,000 house, a new Dodge Ram Truck and giving her $50,000 cash.
in Cross Lanes, West Virginia
. The thieves went away with $545,000 in cash. Two employees at the club, namely, the general manager and dancer manager, who were romantically linked, 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 $200,000 in cash that was later recovered.
On September 17 2004, Jesse Tribble, an 18-year-old on-and-off-again boyfriend 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 from overdosing on a combination of oxycodone, methadone, meperidine and cocaine.
On December 20 2004, Brandi, 17, was found dead on the property of one of her male friends after being reported missing on December 9. Her body was wrapped inside a plastic tarp and dumped behind a junked van. No-one was charged with a crime and the death was ruled an overdose.
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,
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.
On January 11, 2007, a legal complaint against Whittaker alleged he claimed that on September 11, 2006, thieves took all of his money. The thieves, according to the account, went to 12 branches of the City National Bank
and cashed 12 checks. The incident came to light because Whittaker had not been paying money to a woman who had previously sued him. Kitti French filed the complaint earlier in the week, requesting court costs and money from Whittaker.
On July 5, 2009, Ginger Whittaker Bragg, Jack's daughter and the mother of Brandi Bragg, was found dead in Daniels
, Raleigh County, West Virginia
. Foul play is not suspected, but toxicology tests are expected.
Summers County, West Virginia
Summers County is a county located in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 13,927. Its county seat is Hinton. Summers County was created by an act of the West Virginia General Assembly on February 27, 1871 from parts of Fayette, Greenbrier, Mercer and Monroe...
, West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
) is a West Virginia businessman who became famous when he won US$314.9 million in the Powerball
Powerball
Powerball is an American lottery game sold in 44 jurisdictions as a shared jackpot game. It is coordinated by the Multi-State Lottery Association , a non-profit organization formed by an agreement with lotteries. Powerball is a game whose advertised jackpot starts at $20 million and can roll into...
multi-state lottery
Lottery
A lottery is a form of gambling which involves the drawing of lots for a prize.Lottery is outlawed by some governments, while others endorse it to the extent of organizing a national or state lottery. It is common to find some degree of regulation of lottery by governments...
. At the time it was the largest jackpot ever won by a single winning ticket in the history of American lottery. He has garnered even more publicity since his win due to several well-publicized brushes with the law as well as personal tragedies.
Powerball win
Whittaker was the 55-year-old president of Diversified Enterprises Construction, a successful contracting firm in Putnam County, West VirginiaPutnam County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 51,589 people, 20,028 households, and 15,281 families residing in the county. The population density was 149 people per square mile . There were 21,621 housing units at an average density of 62 per square mile...
, when he chose the correct numbers for the December 25, 2002 drawing. Whittaker had a net worth of over US$17 million before his Powerball windfall. Whittaker purchased the winning Powerball ticket
West Virginia Lottery
The West Virginia Lottery is run by the government of West Virginia. It is a charter member of the Multi-State Lottery Association . It offers games such as Powerball, Mega Millions, and scratch tickets...
at a supermarket in Hurricane, West Virginia
Hurricane, West Virginia
Hurricane is a city in Putnam County, West Virginia, in the United States. The population was 6,284 at the 2010 census.-History:Hurricane was named after Hurricane Creek, which was, in turn, named after a group of trees at the mouth of the river bent in one direction...
, where he had stopped for a deli breakfast sandwich and to get fuel for his Lincoln Navigator
Lincoln Navigator
The Lincoln Navigator is a full-size luxury SUV built by the Ford Motor Company for its luxury division, Lincoln. Introduced as a 1998 model, production began May 14, 1997 with sales beginning in August. The Navigator was Lincoln's first SUV as well as its first four-wheel drive capable vehicle...
.
The jackpot that day was a US$314.9 million annuity or US$170 million cash. Whittaker chose the cash option
Present value
Present value, also known as present discounted value, is the value on a given date of a future payment or series of future payments, discounted to reflect the time value of money and other factors such as investment risk...
and received a check for approximately US$114 million after tax withholdings.
Philanthropy
Whittaker pledged 10% of his winnings to Christian charities—including several churches affiliated with the —in southern West VirginiaWest Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
. 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 worked the biscuit counter at the convenience store where he bought the winning ticket by buying her a $123,000 house, a new Dodge Ram Truck and giving her $50,000 cash.
Legal / personal problems
On August 5, 2003, thieves broke into his car while it was parked at the Pink Pony, a strip clubStrip club
A strip club is an adult entertainment venue in which striptease or other erotic or exotic dance is regularly performed. Strip clubs typically adopt a nightclub or bar style, but can also adopt a theatre or cabaret-style....
in Cross Lanes, West Virginia
Cross Lanes, West Virginia
Cross Lanes is an unincorporated census-designated place and suburb of Charleston in Kanawha County, West Virginia, United States. As of the 2010 census, its population was 9,995.-Geography:...
. The thieves went away with $545,000 in cash. Two employees at the club, namely, the general manager and dancer manager, who were romantically linked, 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 $200,000 in cash that was later recovered.
On September 17 2004, Jesse Tribble, an 18-year-old on-and-off-again boyfriend of Jack's granddaughter Brandi Bragg, was found dead in Whittaker's home in Teays Valley, West Virginia
Teays Valley, West Virginia
Teays Valley is a census-designated place in Putnam County, West Virginia, United States. The place is divided into the two districts of Teays Valley and Scott Depot...
. A coroner's report indicated that he died from overdosing on a combination of oxycodone, methadone, meperidine and cocaine.
On December 20 2004, Brandi, 17, was found dead on the property of one of her male friends after being reported missing on December 9. Her body was wrapped inside a plastic tarp and dumped behind a junked van. No-one was charged with a crime and the death was ruled an overdose.
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,
Whittaker is also being sued by Caesars Atlantic City
Caesars Atlantic City
Caesars Atlantic City is a luxury hotel, casino, and spa resort in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Like Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, it has an ancient Roman theme. Atlantic City's second casino, it opened in 1979 as the Caesars Boardwalk Regency. The . casino has over 3,400 slot machines, and is one of...
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
Slot machine
A slot machine , informally fruit machine , the slots , poker machine or "pokies" or simply slot is a casino gambling machine with three or more reels which spin when a button is pushed...
he developed and that they in fact owe him money.
On January 11, 2007, a legal complaint against Whittaker alleged he claimed that on September 11, 2006, thieves took all of his money. The thieves, according to the account, went to 12 branches of the City National Bank
City National Bank
City National Bank is an American financial institution headquartered in Los Angeles, California, owned by City National Corporation , with total assets of $21.8 billion . As of 2011, it is the 25th largest bank in USA...
and cashed 12 checks. The incident came to light because Whittaker had not been paying money to a woman who had previously sued him. Kitti French filed the complaint earlier in the week, requesting court costs and money from Whittaker.
On July 5, 2009, Ginger Whittaker Bragg, Jack's daughter and the mother of Brandi Bragg, was found dead in Daniels
Daniels, West Virginia
Daniels is a census-designated place in Raleigh County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 1,881 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Daniels is located at ....
, Raleigh County, West Virginia
Raleigh County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 79,220 people, 31,793 households, and 22,096 families residing in the county. The population density was 130 people per square mile . There were 35,678 housing units at an average density of 59 per square mile...
. Foul play is not suspected, but toxicology tests are expected.
External links
- CNN "Talkback Live" Transcript: "$300 Million Powerball Winner Revealed; Should Torture be an Option for U.S. Government?" (show aired December 26, 2002)
- "No fairy tale life for lottery winner", Rick Hampson, USA Today, Dec. 12, 2004.
- "More Sad but True Lottery Winners Stories", The Lotto Report; originally posted Dec. 10, 2004, revised Feb. 27, 2005.
- "Jack Whittaker: un-luckiest lottery winner ever", Lottery Post, Jan. 12, 2007.
- "Powerball Win: Fantasy or Nightmare?". Chicago Tribune; September 14, 2007.