Powerball Felon Wins $167M, Forgets Parole in Jail Cell Split

Powerball winner James Farthing, declared a âpersistent felony offender,â snatched Kentuckyâs $167.3 million jackpot and promptly celebrated by visiting county jails in both Kentucky and Florida. Trending queries like âWhat happens if a felon wins the lottery?â and âCan prisoners keep lottery winnings?â swirl as Farthing, flanked by his 77-year-old mother Linda Grizzle, split the windfall. His celebration? Missing parole permission and being whisked from a beachfront resort back to jail, oversized check nearly in hand.
While Farthingâs mother helped collect their nine-figure prize, his dizzying 16-page rap sheetâspanning 35 years, nine counties, and 25 correctional institutionsâbecame internet legend. âCan lottery winners go to jail?â and âDo parole rules apply to lottery winners?â trend as Farthingâs record of bribing guards, smuggling drugs, and even involving his own mother in a marijuana plot makes the story read like a fever dream; picture a beaming family portrait, interrupted by a bailiff waving a Powerball ticket.
Farthing has spent nearly 30 years bouncing through 25 jailsâenough to make his lottery check the most-traveled document in Kentuckyâs penal history.