Kentucky man won a whopping $167.3 million Powerball jackpot last year — and has been arrested 5 times since

Deputies described him as “manifestly under the influence of alcohol” and said they believed he presented a danger to himself and others. Making matters worse, this wasn’t the first time Farthing has interacted with law enforcement. In fact, he’s now been arrested five times since his $167.3 million win.

Multiple encounters

Days after Farthing won the largest Powerball jackpot in Kentucky history, he was arrested in Pinellas County, Florida, where he faced charges of resisting arrest and battery on a law enforcement officer. Police said they attempted to break up an altercation between Farthing and another person when the lottery winner kicked one of the officers. (He pleaded guilty to the charges in March.)

In February of this year, he was arrested in Kentucky and charged with intimidating a participant in the legal process. The following month, he faced charges of second-degree burglary and marijuana possession after allegedly entering a home in Lexington and taking more than $10,000 in cash. (That case was dismissed.)

Then, in July, Farthing was arrested once again on charges of first-degree strangulation and fourth-degree assault due to an alleged incident following a boating trip. He pleaded not guilty to those charges and was released on a $15,000 bond.

The dangers of a sudden wealth

While Farthing’s situation is somewhat unique, he’s far from the first lottery winner to have troubles after their big win.

When Jack Whittaker won $315 million in 2002, it seemed like a dream, but he later said it was the worst thing to ever happen to him. While he tried to spread the wealth, he ended up alienating some people while losing others, along with many other things that he once held dear.

Meanwhile, the winner of a $2 billion jackpot in California lost his $3.85 million Malibu home with ocean views when the 2025 Palisades fire destroyed thousands of homes and structures in the Los Angeles area.

And in 2021, a man who won $1 million wasn’t happy with having to pay taxes on the prize, so he made a false tax claim saying he had gambling losses equal to the amount he won that year, which let him get a refund on the withholding. He pleaded guilty to the false claim when challenged by the IRS.

To avoid the problems that can come with a big lottery win, most financial advisors suggest taking the payout via an annuity, since few people are ready to handle such large sums of money without warning. Experts also say the best thing you can do if you win a lottery is find an experienced financial advisor to help you manage the money, along with an attorney and tax expert who will work together to protect your winnings and your financial future.