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'{{Short description|American lottery winner (1947–2020)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2020}} {{Infobox person | name = Jack Whittaker | birth_name = Andrew Jackson Whittaker Jr. | birth_date = {{Birth date|1947|10|09}} | birth_place = [[Jumping Branch, West Virginia]] | death_date = {{Death date and age|2020|06|27|1947|10|09}} | known_for = Winning the [[Powerball]] in December 2002 }} '''Andrew Jackson Whittaker Jr.''' (October 9, 1947&nbsp;– June 27, 2020)<ref>{{Cite news |title=Famous Powerball winner has died |url=https://wvmetronews.com/2020/06/29/famous-powerball-winner-has-died/ |work=[[West Virginia MetroNews]] |date=June 29, 2020 |access-date=June 29, 2020 }}</ref> was an American businessman in the construction industry. He was noted for being the winner of a 2002 [[lottery]] jackpot. His win of [[US$]]314.9&nbsp;million in the [[Powerball]] multi-state lottery was, at the time, the largest jackpot ever won by a single winning ticket in the history of American lottery. After winning the lottery, he was proximate to a number of crimes, and experienced several personal tragedies.<ref name=buymisery>{{cite web|last1=Dahl|first1=Melissa|title=$550 million will buy you a lot of ... misery|url=http://vitals.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/11/28/15463411-550-million-will-buy-you-a-lot-of-misery?lite|website=NBC News|publisher=nbcnews.com|access-date=August 18, 2014|date=November 28, 2012}}</ref> ==Powerball win== ❤️❤️❤️ Before his lottery win, Whittaker had been the president of Diversified Enterprises Construction, a contracting firm in [[Putnam County, West Virginia]], for 12 years.<ref name=Andrews>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=E0CzDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT18|title=Can Money Buy Happiness?|publisher=Andrew Kasch|date=September 25, 2019|last=Andrews|first=Cal}}</ref> Whittaker already had a net worth of over $17&nbsp;million before his windfall.<ref name=AP>{{cite news|title=From Powerball winner to scandal: Jack Whittaker dies at 72|url=https://apnews.com/97c2aae5522a9d39ef5e5bbfa2d364d0|first=John|last=Raby|date=June 30, 2020|access-date=June 30, 2020|agency=Associated Press}}</ref> On Christmas Eve 2002, Whittaker purchased the winning Quick Pick ticket at a supermarket in [[Hurricane, West Virginia]], where he had stopped for a deli breakfast sandwich and to get fuel for his vehicle.<ref name=Samuels>{{cite news|title=Lottery Winner Jack Whittaker's Losing Ticket|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2012-12-13/lottery-winner-jack-whittakers-losing-ticket|first=David|last=Samuels|date=December 13, 2012|access-date=June 30, 2020|publisher=Bloomberg}}</ref> He was not a regular lottery player but bought $100 in tickets because the jackpot was so high. He played the lottery only when it reached $100&nbsp;million.<ref name=Andrews/> The jackpot that Christmas Day (before taxes) was a $314.9&nbsp;million [[Annuity (financial contracts)|annuity]] or $170.5&nbsp;million cash. Whittaker chose the [[present value|cash option]] of $113,386,407, after taxes.<ref name=Samuels/><ref name=wildride>{{cite web|last1=Zoroya|first1=Gregg|title=One wildride for jackpot winner|url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/nation/2004-02-12-lottery-winner_x.htm|website=USA Today|publisher=Gannett Co. Inc.|access-date=August 18, 2014|date=February 13, 2004}}</ref><ref name="estrangedwife">{{cite web|url=http://www.hintonnews.net/state/060904-rutheford-whitteker.html|title=Estranged Wife of Jack Whittaker Contends Part Ownership in Over 25 Companies; Companies Contend Jewell Whittaker's Filing Has Cut Off Their Credit|last1=Rutherford|first1=Tony|date=September 4, 2006|website=Hinton News|publisher=hintonnews.net|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120509083209/http://www.hintonnews.net/state/060904-rutheford-whitteker.html|archive-date=May 9, 2012| url-status=dead | access-date=August 18, 2014}}</ref> ==Philanthropy== Whittaker pledged 10% of his winnings to Christian charities—including several churches affiliated with the [[Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee)|Church of God]]—in southern [[West Virginia]]. One of the beneficiary congregations constructed a multimillion-dollar church in Hurricane. He also donated $14&nbsp;million to establish the Jack Whittaker Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides food and clothing to low-income families in rural West Virginia. Moreover, for the deli manager who served the biscuits at the convenience store where he purchased the winning ticket, he purchased a $123,000 house and a new Jeep Grand Cherokee and gave her a check for $44,000. He then purchased a Lamborghini and drove it through his neighborhood throwing cash.<ref name="wildride"/><ref name="richpoor"/> ==Legal and personal problems== On August 5, 2003, less than a year after Whittaker won the lottery, thieves broke into his car while it was parked at a strip club in [[Cross Lanes, West Virginia]]. The thieves made away with $545,000 in cash that Whittaker carried around in a suitcase.<ref>[http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/01/12/national/main2357053.shtml "Lottery Winner: Thieves "Got All My Money'"], CBS News, January 12, 2007 (accessed April 8, 2007)</ref> When asked why he would carry that much money around with him, Whittaker responded, "Because I can." In another incident, two employees at the club, the general manager and a dancer-manager who were romantically linked, were arrested and charged with a plot to put drugs in Whittaker's drinks and then rob him.<ref name="richpoor"/> On January 25, 2004, thieves once again broke into his car, this time making off with an estimated $200,000 in cash, but this was later recovered.<ref>{{cite news|title=Virginia home of famous lottery winner Jack Whittaker destroyed in fire|url=https://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/home-famous-lottery-winner-jack-whittaker-destroyed-fire-article-1.2897402|first=Jessica|last=Schladebeck|date=December 3, 2016|access-date=July 1, 2020|newspaper=New York Daily News}}</ref> On September 16, 2004, Jesse Tribble, an 18-year-old on-and-off-again boyfriend of Whittaker's granddaughter Brandi Bragg, was found dead in Whittaker's home in [[Teays Valley, West Virginia]].<ref>[https://abcnews.go.com/2020/powerball-winner-cursed/story?id=3012631&singlePage=true "Powerball Winner Says He's Cursed"], "ABC News," April 6, 2007.</ref> A coroner's report indicated that he had died from overdosing on a combination of [[oxycodone]], [[methadone]], [[meperidine]], and [[cocaine]].<ref>{{cite news|title=He won Powerball's $314 million jackpot. It ruined his life.|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2018/10/24/jack-whittaker-powerball-lottery-winners-life-was-ruined-after-m-jackpot/|first=April|last=Witt|date=January 30, 2005|access-date=June 30, 2020|newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref> On December 20, 2004, Brandi Bragg, 17, was found dead on the property of a male friend after being reported missing on December 9. Her body was wrapped in a plastic tarpaulin and dumped behind a junked van. Cocaine and methadone were found in her system, but the cause of death was listed as "undetermined". No one was charged with a crime.<ref name=richpoor>{{cite web|last1=Witt|first1=April|title=Rich Man, Poor Man|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A36338-2005Jan25.html|website=The Washington Post|publisher=washingtonpost.com|access-date=August 18, 2014|date=January 30, 2005}}</ref> On October 11, 2005, at a hearing related to his January 2003 DUI, a visibly shaken Whittaker lashed out at local law enforcement agencies for focusing on his troubles while failing to arrest anyone in relation to his granddaughter's death, saying, "Go after whoever killed my granddaughter with as much {{sic|zealous|nolink=y}} as these butt holes are trying to convict me of something I didn't do."<ref>[http://wvmetronews.com/index_forsub.cfm?func=displayfullstory&storyid=13162 ''West Virginia Metro News''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060521132727/http://www.wvmetronews.com/index_forsub.cfm?func=displayfullstory |date=May 21, 2006 }}, October 11, 2005.</ref> Whittaker was later sued by [[Caesars Atlantic City]] casino for bouncing $1.5&nbsp;million worth of checks to cover gambling losses. He countersued, claiming that his losses were supposed to be credited due to a slot machine he developed and that they, in fact, owed him money.<ref name=losingticket>{{cite web|last1=Samuels|first1=David|title=Lottery Winner Jack Whittaker's Losing Ticket|url=http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-12-13/lottery-winner-jack-whittakers-losing-ticket#p3|website=BusinessWeek|publisher=Bloomberg|access-date=August 18, 2014|date=December 13, 2012}}</ref> On January 11, 2007, a legal complaint against Whittaker alleged he claimed that on September 11, 2006, thieves took all of his money.<ref>[http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/5158837.html "Powerball Winner Jack Whittaker Claims He's Broke"], WSAZ News Channel 3, January 11, 2007 (accessed April 8, 2007)</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite news|title=How Jack Whittaker's life was destroyed by a $314 million lotto win|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=12149165|date=October 26, 2018|access-date=June 30, 2020|newspaper=The New Zealand Herald}}</ref> On July 5, 2009, Ginger Whittaker Bragg, Whittaker's 42-year-old daughter and the mother of Brandi Bragg, was found dead in [[Daniels, West Virginia]]. No explanation was given, but officials did not suspect foul play.<ref>[http://www.wsaz.com/home/headlines/50047527.html "Jack Whittaker's Daughter Found Dead"]</ref> On December 2, 2016, around 7&nbsp;a.m. Whittaker's home in Bland County, Virginia, was reported to be on fire. When firefighters arrived, the home was fully engulfed, and the house was deemed a total loss. Whittaker's wife was home when the fire broke out, but she was able to make it out safely and no injuries were reported. Whittaker stated that the home was not insured.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wvva.com/story/33852705/2016/12/02/crews-battle-residential-fire-in-bland-county |title=Home of famous lottery winner catches fire in Bland County |author=Paul Hess |date=December 2, 2016 |publisher=[[WVVA]]}}</ref> ==Death== Whittaker died on June 27, 2020, following a long illness;<ref>{{cite news|title=Private funeral planned for Jack Whittaker|url=https://www.wsaz.com/2020/07/01/private-funeral-planned-for-jack-whittaker/|date=June 30, 2020|access-date=June 30, 2020|publisher=WSAZ-TV}}</ref> no further details were given.<ref name=AP/> ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== * [http://www-cgi.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0212/26/tl.00.html CNN "Talkback Live"] Transcript: "$300 Million Powerball Winner Revealed" (show aired December 26, 2002) * [https://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2004-12-22-lottery-tragedy_x.htm "No fairy tale life for lottery winner"], Rick Hampson, ''USA Today'', December 12, 2004. * [http://www.lottoreport.com/Sadbuttrue1.htm "More Sad but True Lottery Winners Stories"], ''The Lotto Report''; originally posted December 10, 2004, revised February 27, 2005. * [http://www.lotterypost.com/news/148710 "Jack Whittaker: un-luckiest lottery winner ever"], ''Lottery Post'', January 12, 2007. * [http://www.chicagotribune.com/search/sns-ap-powerball-nightmare,0,6083674.story "Powerball Win: Fantasy or Nightmare?"]. ''Chicago Tribune''; September 14, 2007. * [https://abcnews.go.com/2020/powerball-winner-cursed/story?id=3012631&singlePage=true "Powerball Winner Says He's Cursed" ''ABC News'', April 6, 2007] * {{cite news|url=http://www.wvmetronews.com/index.cfm?func=displayfullstory&storyid=24128|title=Powerball Winner Wins Again|date=March 24, 2008|publisher=West Virginia MetroNews|access-date=May 13, 2010}} * [http://www.c-span.org/video/?185692-1/qa-april-witt C-SPAN ''Q&A'' interview with April Witt about Whittaker's winning of the lottery and his subsequent difficulties, March 6, 2005] * Infographic of February 2004 lottery Winners in Nine Countries – [https://web.archive.org/web/20140826113636/http://derhauptgewinn.de/euromillions/wo-fliesen-die-euromillions-gewinne-hin/ derhauptgewinn.de] {{DEFAULTSORT:Whittaker, Jack}} [[Category:1947 births]] [[Category:2020 deaths]] [[Category:American civil engineering contractors]] [[Category:Lottery winners]] [[Category:People from Putnam County, West Virginia]] [[Category:People from Summers County, West Virginia]]'