Unbelievable True Tales from Canadian Jackpot Winners: From Riches to Ruin!
Ever imagined your life transformed by sudden wealth? Dive into these 23.5 cautionary tales of Canadian lottery victors whose dreams turned into nightmares. Explore our guide to avoid becoming another statistic.
“I take thee”: Lotto & broken vows
Bizarre Twists of Fate: From Friendly Fortune to Frenzied Foes and Family!
From Jackpot Joy to Jail Time: When Winning Tickets Spell Trouble
Respect to Those Who Walked Away: Stories of Winners Who Chose Peace
The Quest for Lotto Gold: Where Have the Wealthy Wandered?
Breaking Free from the Lottery Curse: The Definitive Guide
Disclaimer: We emphasize responsible gaming and urge winners to utilize their gains thoughtfully. Avoid harm to yourself and others. Consult our guidelines for legal and advantageous use of your winnings.
Curious about life after winning the lottery?
Advice: beware.
Here are 23 and a half accounts of lottery players who discovered that wealth can come with unexpected consequences.
“I, take thee”: Lotto & broken vows
Explore how a win in the Canadian lottery could severely shake up your life through the lens of five unexpectedly dramatic romantic sagas .
1. In sickness and in secrets
We all know couples growing old together lovingly. But that's not the path Ibi and Joseph took…
Let's define what ‘taking care’ implies in this narrative, shall we?
When accused of his wife's murder , 72-year-old doctor Joseph Roncaioli claimed she had an aversion to medical settings. He had been caring for her at home.
Joseph ended Ibi’s life 17 years post winding down C$5 million from a 1991 Lotto 6/49 win in Thornhill, Ontario. He believed a lethal mix of drugs and alcohol was just the right cure for her supposed ailment.
The media spotlight was all over this gory tale in 2008, with Canadian tabloids eagerly covering each turn in the elderly gynecologist’s trial.
The saga was a whirlwind of drama, emotion, and complex twists.
Here’s a taste of the most gripping headlines that spotlighted this case:
- Husband Administered Fatal Drugs, Crown Argues;(CTV News Toronto)
- Cash and Crime Chaotic Dance;(The Lottery Network)
- Convicted Doctor Fears Suicide Risk;(The Star)
- Lawyer Urges Against Jail for Convicted Spouse Killer.(The Star)
Joseph's despair was compounded by layers of deceit as his spouse masked her deeds and frittered away their winnings.
Within her hidden ‘allocations’ , Ibi relinquished C$800,000 to their mutual child and another equal share to her son from a prior relationship. Joseph was aware since the child co-resided with them. However, Ibi had a third son with a third party, receiving C$2 million from the lotto fortune.
As per The Star, Joseph Roncaioli garnered a manslaughter conviction and a seven-year sentence, which faced scrutiny given his mental and emotional vulnerability.
2. To have and to steal
Both love and the Canadian lotto seem to have a knack for bewildering twists.
- The trial: from 2008 to 2010.
The Moore saga unfolded into a long, drawn-out legal battle starting in 2008 .
Mr. Moore alleged his spouse took the winning ticket from him after tampering with his medication to leave him defenseless in mind and body.
He further blamed the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation for neglecting to verify the true owner’s identity of the ticket Ms. Arnold presented.
Ms. Moore and her daughters, Bobbi-Jo and Kelly Anne Sharpe, couldn’t justify how they burned through an average of C$10,000 weekly . Their counselor argued their humble background led to a lack of financial proficiency .
Their carefree lifestyle tangling with their winnings led Mary Patricia Moore and Bobbi-Jo to the Superior Court facing multiple felonies and fraudulence of over C$5,000.
Among their few accountable purchases, prepaid funerals were detected at a cost of C$312,000.
Though they eventually settled the dispute, the ‘lottery curse' remained undefeated: Mary Patricia Moore filed for divorce from Gerald in August 2008 prior to trial completion.
3. Till Lotto do us part
A Canadian lottery love entanglement ensnared Raymond Sobeski and his past partners for a lengthy legal dispute.
Was Sobeski tarnished only by reticence, or was it more sinister?
Claiming fiscal independence as a single 40-year-old , Robert Sobeski nonchalantly snagged C$30 million on April 1.st, 2004.
Public records show that Sobeski's bachelor celebrations sparked a romantic adventure with former spouse Nynna Ionson.
Unbeaten by fortune, Sobeski didn’t flaunt his triumph that evening. Ionson learned of his newfound wealth the next day, indulging in her routine news perusal.
He sat on his Super 7 Jackpot success for nearly a year. As per statements, he refrained due to fear of making snap decisions .
Scandal, lies, and broken hearts
Taking reckless steps by revealing his earnings to his ex amid their 2003 divorce proceedings was not in the cards.
Pressed by the press, Sobeski had consulted his divorce lawyer about his win, suggesting that his cloak of discretion masked foul play .
There remains a global quandary over equating omission with deceit. Sobeski decidedly proved his stance.
Sobeski asserted his divorce from Ionson was finalized in 2002, well before news of the C$30 million.
Ionson retaliated, receiving papers only in 2003. Official closure came February 8, 2004, barely two months before the deadline expired.th Passions entangled matters further : Sobeski reportedly retained Ionson’s affection well past the divorce . This justified their celebratory rendezvous soon after his triumph.
Betrayed, Ionson appealed for her matrimonial share, arguing that his C$30 million fortune gained prior to their separation deserved rightful disclosure during asset division .
For Sobeski, the undisclosed wealth stretched far beyond his purview, seeing Ionson snag a 2005 settlement.
Heartbreaker pays his dues
What goes around comes around .
The turmoil rocked Sobeski's second marriage with Sherry, prompting reevaluation of her child support agreement. Together, Sobeski and Sherry share two kids.
4. Sweetheart, steer clear of lottery entanglements.
Could money morph the core of someone’s ethos? Or does it rather unveil what always simmered below?
When a Canadian lottery victor cashed her winnings, her first indulgence was to surprise ten pals, her boyfriend, and his sibling with generous tokens.
Her ultimate surprise? Trading her beau for his brother, even after gifting a ski mobile.
A sweet gesture, right?
Let’s have a closer look.
There are two possibilities:
- A grand shift lay in departing her boyfriend for his sibling.
- Whispers assert there were no prior break-up hints before luck struck. A little nudge from the lottery seemed to be the catalyst.
Quora buzz remains mute on whether the winner assessed her friends' financial standing. Regardless, each collected a C$10,000 valued snowmobile .
Whether she gauged their passion for winter sports or simply sought to forge her Ski-Doo posse is uncertain.
What is certain is her life felt invigorated even as emotional wreckage lay in her trail.
Maurice Thibeault from Chatham, Ontario, basked in a C$6 million victory only to part ways with his beloved, Denise Robertson.
5. Make love, not money
She aimed not for triviality from a torn heart but preferred claiming half of the prized Lotto 6/49 yield.
In her claim, Denise argued jointly buying lottery tickets meant shared spoils per their intimate pledge. Thibeault’s silent win saw him abscond without a goodbye.
The war begins:
- In contrast, he contested any such deal existed .
- Thibeault emerged victorious, garnering half of the bounty.
- Nevertheless, C$3 million of Thibeault’s share lingered frozen by court orders awaiting judgment post-Robertson’s grievance.
- 23.5 Canadian Lottery Dramas: Their Stories of Loss and Regret!
- Imagine hitting the jackpot and then facing a nightmare! We uncovered 23.5 chilling tales of Canadian lottery winners whose lives took a dark turn. Prepare yourself; these stories will leave you in disbelief!
- 23.5 Histoires de Drame de la Loterie Canadienne: Ils ont Tout Perdu!
Unbelievable Tales of Canadian Lottery Winners: How They Lost Everything!
Bizarre Twists of Fate: From Friendly Fortune to Frenzied Foes and Family!
23.5 Shocking Stories of Canadian Lottery Winners: Their Tragic Losses!
Ever dreamt of winning the lottery? Let these 23.5 tales be a cautionary tale of how a Canadian jackpot can go sideways. Make sure you check our guide to avoid being a name on this list!
The Fortune Thriller: Friends, Foes, and Family Dynamics!
Let’s track the events:
- Lottery Windfall—or a Ticket to Jail?
- Winners Who Chose to Walk Away: Honorable Mentions
- The Quest for Lost Lotto Treasures: Where Did They Go?
- Defeating the Lottery Curse: The Definitive Guide
- We do not support using lottery or iGaming winnings in ways that cause harm to the winner or those around them. Gamble responsibly! For lawful and beneficial advice regarding your winnings, please refer to the guide at the end of this page.
Curious about how winning the lottery could change your life?
Here are 23 and a half stories that showcase the potential pitfalls of striking it lucky.
Discover how winning a Canadian lottery can dramatically disrupt lives with our rundown of five unexpected romantic lottery tales .
You might be familiar with the deep-rooted love stories that blossom through the years. Well, Ibi and Joseph 's saga won't fit that bill by any measure...
Let's redefine 'taking care' within this story, shall we?
When questioned about the alleged murder of his wife of three decades, Dr. Joseph Roncaioli, 72, explained that she feared medical practitioners. Expressing love in his way, he cared for her personally.
After cashing in on a C$5 million win from the 1991 Lotto 6/49 draw in Ontario, Joseph decided to 'treat' Ibi—his wife—with a deadly concoction of alcohol and injectables. This occurred 17 years later.
The drama captivated Canadian headlines throughout 2008, mapping the fate of the elderly gynecologist through every twist.
Back story
It was horrific, touching, and downright labyrinthine.
Here are snippets of the most sensational headlines back then:
Scandalous Headlines of the Lotto Drama
So it begins
Doctor administers lethal drugs to wife: Crown;(CTV News Toronto)
Love and Murder Connect;(The Lottery Network) Convicted doc marked at suicide risk;(The Star)
Lawyer pleads against jailing the killer doctor.(The Star)
Everybody ends up in the newspapers
Joseph Roncaioli's outrage stemmed from a chain of untruths his wife perpetuated, covering unfortunate financial escapades.
Among the mysterious ‘expenses’ were C$800,000 given to their son and a similar amount gifted to another child from a previous relationship, not to mention $2 million covertly dispatched to their third, unknown son.
Echoes of April Fool’s
Per The Star's narrative, Joseph Roncaioli accepted a manslaughter conviction, constrained to a seven-year confinement. The decision was challenged, citing Mr. Roncaioli’s vulnerable mental state.
Joseph Roncaioli's sentence highlighted for manslaughter meetings
Love, like the Canadian lottery, functions in strange and incredible ways.
It’s the roaring ’70’s .
Commencing in 2008 , the Moore case unraveled as a prolonged and intricate legal saga.
Mr. Moore alleged that his spouse cunningly took a ticket off his nightstand, altering his prescribed medications to leave him psychically and mentally debilitated.
He additionally accused the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation of negligently failing to validate Ms. Arnold's claim as the legitimate ticket possessor. guide to Canadian player taxes Expenses laid out by Mrs. Moore and her daughters, Bobbi-Jo and Kelly Anne Sharpe, escalated weekly to about C$10,000 —a pattern beyond their stipulated earnings. Legal counsel reasoned their humble beginnings deprived the family of financial literacy.
Living in 'the moment' landed Mary Patricia Moore and Bobbi-Jo inside a courtroom, pending four individual charges along with C$5,000-plus fraud penalties.
Disclosed court list items showed prepaid funeral expenses hitting C$312,000.
Despite an eventual settlement, love never fully triumphed over the “lottery curse.” Mary Patricia Moore left Gerald by filing for divorce in August 2008 before all cases tied up.
Caught once more in a tangled Canadian lotto love dilemma : Raymond Sobeski embroiled his two ex-wives across a two-year high-stakes litigation.
Was Mr. Sobeski just exercising discretion, or was there something deeper at play?
Identifying merely as a bachelor aged 40 , Robert Sobeski suavely claimed his C$30 million fortune on April Fool’s Day.
From documented facts, single Sobeski's triumph coincided with an electrifying romantic encounter involving ex-wife Nynna Ionson.
And why shouldn’t they?
Despite maintaining discreet silence over his Super 7 windfall, Ionson unearthed his newfound opulence by perusing the next day's news headlines.
He discreetly maintained knowledge of the Super 7 jackpot for nearly a year, asserting that prudence ensued in not acting rashly.
‘Something rash’ applied here denotes keeping his ex-wife in the loop during divorce talks about his lottery win.
Various outlets highlight that Sobeski inquired his divorce lawyer about the winnings, stirring questions of possible misconduct beyond mere discretion.
Society debates whether omission constitutes deception. Robert Sobeski proved the case.
Kathleen then cashed the ticket.
Wasn’t that risky?
Sobeski maintained that their breakup took place in 2002, years ahead of the C$30 million revelation.
Ionson's rebuttal asserted divorce documents were received only come 2003, official dissolution occurring February 8, 2004, just shy from jackpot expiration.
The sensual aftermath complicated the ordeal: romantically entangled well beyond finalizing their divorce, Sobeski's win seemed to bind them despite legal severance.
Ionson decided the winnings, earned before marital dissolution, deserved division as joint assets.
For Sobeski, the concealed lottery fortune unfolded not solely within his grasp, as Ionson secured a financial settlement by 2005.
The scandal rocked Sobeski's world, impacting his second wife Sherry's child custody arrangements. Sobeski shared two offspring with Sherry.
Love, My Darling—Say No to the Lottery Win
10. Her own flesh and money
Does money change hearts, or does it simply disclose underlying intentions?
Post-hitting the Canadian lottery, one woman prioritized surprising friends and loved ones with unexpected gifts , including her boyfriend and his sibling.
Her token of appreciation? A snowmobile for her boyfriend, later forming a bond with his brother;
The ultimate twist came when she traded him for his brother!
Curiously, prior to this lucky win, whispers of separation drifted unnoticed. It seems all she needed was a lottery nudge.
The popular forum gossip doesn't specify if the winner gauged her friends' actual needs. Regardless, everyone lavishly received C$10,000 snowmobiles .
Whether they exhibited enthusiasm towards snow sports or it was a grand attempt to organize an amateur ski-doo lineup remains ambiguous.
Although hearts shattered en route to her fresh financial ascent, she undoubtedly felt like upgrading, oblivious to the collateral heartbreak.
One afternoon Maurice Thibeault from Chatham, Ontario, scoops C$6 million and bids adieu to his beloved partner Denise Robertson.
Unwilling to accept a broken shell of a heart , she demands her contractual half of the Lotto 6/49 yield.
Robertson maintained that jointly with Thibeault, each ticket bore an implicit 50-50 sharing pact. Suddenly, Thibeault claimed the pot, departing abruptly;
Opinions online were split.
Who needed the money most?
Who was most righteous? Worthy?
In defense , he avowed no pact to divide future winnings;
Thibeault overcame the initial stages, receiving half the monetary pot;
In light of Robertson’s suit, C$3 million of Thibeault's winnings is on hold pending judicial outcome.
Friends are tested in times of need 23.5 Gripping Tales of Canadian Lottery Downfalls: How Fortunes Vanished!
Imagine hitting it big with the lottery. We've uncovered 23.5 tales from Canada about winners whose jackpot dreams spiraled into nightmares. Prepare to be stunned and learn a lesson or two!
23.5 Dilemmas in Canadian Lottery: A Fortune Lost in the Blink of an Eye!
Unbelievable Stories of Canadian Lottery Misfortune: Winners Who Ended Up with Nothing!
23.5 Astonishing Accounts of Canadian Lottery Misadventures: Winners Left With Empty Hands!
Ever dreamed of snagging that elusive winning ticket? These 23.5 narratives from Canada illustrate how a jackpot can turn your world upside down! Check out our helpful guide to stay clear of their fate.
Fortune's Thriller: Are Allies, Adversaries, or Relatives Responsible?
Lottery Windfalls, or Perhaps Tickets to a Gilded Cage?
12. Co-workers on lease
Notable Winners Who Chose to Walk Away: Saluting Their Decisions
Treasure Hunts in the Lotto World: Where Did They Disappear?
Defying the Lottery Curse: Your Ultimate Survival Guide
Disaster follows naturally.
We never support the misuse of lottery winnings or any proceeds from iGaming that might harm the winner or those around them. Please engage in gambling responsibly! For guidance on lawful and beneficial use of your winnings, refer to the guide at the end of this page.
Have you ever pondered how a lottery win might transform your life?
They’re not the only victims.
Check out these 23.5 cautionary tales revealing the pitfalls lottery players might face.
Discover how the Canadian lottery can completely alter your life with the following five romantic saga surprises . You might be familiar with the enduring warmth of a long-lasting love story where compassion persists through time. But this isn’t the case with Ibi and Joseph...
Are we sure we know what ‘taking care’ truly implies in this tale?
Accused of murdering his wife after a marriage of three decades, 72-year-old Dr. Joseph Roncaioli contended with claims that his late spouse disliked doctors. He asserted that he was attending to her within their home.
Joseph took Ibi's life 17 years after they won C$5 million in Ontario's 1991 Lotto 6/49. She seemed under the weather when her husband decided on a lethal remedy involving injected substances and alcohol.
13. You win some, you lose someone
In 2008, this dramatic case captured Canadian media's attention, with each twist in the elderly gynecologist's fate closely followed.
A chilling, heart-wrenching, and tangled case unravelled.
Here are a few highlights of the biggest headlines from the drama's peak days:
Lotto Drama's Juiciest Headlines of the Year
A celebratory dinner was in order!
Doctor Administered Fatal Drugs to Wife: Crown;(CTV News Toronto)
Money Entwined with Murder;(The Lottery Network)
But most surprisingly:
Guilty Doctor Seen as a Suicide Risk;(The Star)
Jail Time Shouldn’t Be for the Murderous Doctor, Lawyer Insists.(The Star)
The gynecologist's wrath seemingly stemmed from numerous fabrications his wife concocted to mask her decisions and wastefulness of the lottery prize.
Amidst hidden ‘expenses,’ Ibi gave C$800,000 to their and another of her son with a past partner. Joseph was aware of this child, who was part of their household. Yet Ibi had a third son with another man who gained C$2 million from their lottery wins.
As The Star reported, Joseph Roncaioli faced a manslaughter charge resulting in a seven-year prison term. The debate raged on, challenging Mr. Roncaioli’s psychological state.
Joseph Sentenced for Manslaughter in Lottery-Linked Incident
In both love and lotteries, unexpected turns can unfold.
Not many friends were kept around.
From Jackpot Joy to Jail Time: When Winning Tickets Spell Trouble
The Moore saga traced back to 2008 , embroiled in lengthy disputes.
Don’t believe us? Just read on
14. Lotto, jail, and a little girl
Mr. Moore accused his spouse of sneaking the winning ticket from his nightstand after meddling with his medication to impair his defenses.
Ms. Moore also challenged the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation for improper verification of Ms. Arnold's rightful claim over the ticket.
Mrs. Moore and her daughters couldn’t fully explain an average weekly outlay of C$10,000 , leading to an attorney’s defense attributing it to a lack of education and financial management skills.
Their carefree indulgence in spending thrust Mary Patricia Moore and Bobbi-Jo into court, facing fraud charges exceeding C$5,000 each.
An unusual find among their disclosed purchases was C$312,000 invested in prepaid funeral arrangements.
In the end, they reached a settlement, yet the “lottery curse” lingered. Mary Patricia Moore filed for divorce in August 2008, departing from Gerald before the dust settled on the trial.
In Canada, one complicated lotto love saga entwined Raymond Sobeski and his two ex-wives in an extended lawsuit awash with intrigue.
Was Mr. Sobeski just practicing careful discretion, or was there more beneath the surface?
Self-identified as a 40-year-old bachelor , Robert Sobeski nonchalantly collected his C$30 million on April Fools' Day,
Based on public statements, bachelor Sobeski celebrated his fortune with a secretive tryst with ex-wife Nynna Ionson.
A discreet multi-millionaire, Sobeski withheld news of his windfall that evening. Nynna discovered his newfound wealth the following day by reading the day’s headlines.
His Super 7 Jackpot win stayed under wraps for almost a year. When questioned, he explained, “He wanted to avoid impulsive decisions.”
What counted as impulsive involved keeping his ex-wife in the dark about the prize amid their 2003 divorce discussions.
Sounds ideal, doesn’t it.
Not quite.
Various reports claimed Sobeski conferred with his divorce lawyer post-win, enhancing claims that his gentleman's discretion was merely deceit .
The total worth of theft was under C$5,000.
Debates persist around the globe whether withholding equates to fabricating the truth , but Robert Sobeski took it a step further.
Sobeski countered that he finalized his divorce with Ionson in 2002, well ahead of his C$30 million revelation.
Ionson contended that her divorce papers arrived in 2003, a timeline revealing finalization only by February 8, 2004, narrowly before the win's expiry.
Emotions made things more complex : Allegedly, Ionson’s feelings for Sobeski lingered, and they continued their romantic link beyond their official divorce. This revelation sheds light on them spending that night together post-win.
16. Cinderella’s slippers lost to jail
Feeling wronged, Ionson sought her legal rights, asserting the C$30 million, won prior to their legal termination, was part of their joint estate to disclose during divorce.
Backstory
Sharon was never born rich.
Ultimately, Sobeski’s concealed lottery gains endured longer, not solely retained by him, as Ionson secured settlement support by 2005.
This melodrama upset Sobeski’s harmony with his second wife, Sherry , prompting rethought child support arrangements. Sobeski fathered two kids with Sherry.
4. Champion of My Heart, Spare Us a Lotto Win
Fairy-lottery-tale comes true:
Do the spoils of wealth alter someone, or merely unveil hidden desires?
A Canadian lottery windfall winner decided her first purchase would be unexpected gestures of kindness for ten friends, her partner, and his sibling.
Her boyfriend received a new ski-mobile, then she left him for his brother;
She reserved a special 'surprise' by departing with his brother instead.
Rumor mills suggest no prior hint of separation before her extraordinary luck. A stroke of lottery luck seemingly nudged her decision.
Speculation in places like Quora doesn’t mention if the ten chosen friends had any practical need for snowmobiles. Nevertheless, reportedly each received C$10,000 vehicles.
Losing her slippers
It's uncertain whether these acquaintances shared sporty enthusiasm or if she pursued forming her Ski-Doo crew eagerly.
But their joy did not last long.
One thing is clear, her path to prosperity left emotional wreckage behind her shift in life's trajectory.
Maurice Thibeault from Chatham, Ontario, sealed a C$6 million jackpot and, with it, decided to leave Denise Robertson , his partner.
Robertson, unsatisfied with mere heartbreak , sought half of the Lotto 6/49 bounty.
17. Winner & prisoner: because he can
She claimed partnership in purchasing lottery tickets alongside Thibeault for two devoted years, with mutual vows of splitting winnings equitably. Yet, Thibeault claimed prize money, quietly departed, breaching their pact .
Or so he claimed.
Thibeault contests any deal regarding shared winnings hadn't existed,
Thibeault wins initial support and claims half the jackpot;
Upon her plea, a court intervention froze C$3 million of Thibeault's fund until legal closure ensues.
He failed, again.
Thibeault takes legal action against the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation because he believes they failed to give him the complete jackpot;
Thibeault further alleges that the Alcohol Gaming Commission of Ontario was in cahoots with his former partner, meddling with his contracts, breaching their duties, and conducting a sloppy investigation.
The battle drags on for over three years, with no media outlet daring to declare it over. Resolving such matters can be tough, particularly when you've walked away from a partner for the allure of lottery wealth, only to find yourself embroiled in a prolonged legal showdown .
Imagine how your family might respond if you hit the lottery. Would your circle of friends remain the same? Are your bonds more secure than those of the next lucky handful?
6. The sinister ticket: lottery, kinship, demise
- A single Canadian lottery ticket puts a 77-year-old grandpa from Montreal on a path of turmoil . Where it all ends is almost a bleak void.
- Was he/she blackmailed?
- Robbed of the ticket?
- Or worse, killed?
In 2009 , Lucien Nault purchases a Lotto 6/49 ticket, hitting a jackpot worth C$16.9 million ;
Nault distributes most of his winnings with his son Daniel and gifts C$5 million to his neighbors ;
Daniel files lawsuits against four neighbors, alleging one of them extorted his father into giving away his lottery fortune. He also targets the brother-in-law of Lucien’s former spouse in his legal claim;
Following these events, Lucien’s wife abandons him ;
He did it, at first, because he could.
He could also go further and cash out.
Thanks to Lucien’s lottery gains, Daniel and his wife indulge in adding an opulent swimming pool to their home.
18. Great ticket, great responsibility
That’s when the whirlwind from the winning ticket spirals out of control!
Tragically, Daniel discovers his wife lifeless in their lavish new pool, only days after reveling in its completion.
He lays her to rest in the Gaspe Chic-Chocs and returns to Montreal. Soon after, he takes his dog for a sorrowful stroll. When the dog wanders, as dogs do, Daniel crosses the road to retrieve him.
- Daniel meets a tragic fate : hit by a Jeep while on the crosswalk. gambling addiction stories A single winning ticket led to a cascade of loss and scandal that left Lucien Nault bereft of family and wealth.
- At 77 years old, Lucien found himself alone in a retirement home when he received the devastating news of his son’s death.
7. The lottery conflict saga: a real miniseries
A father and his three Quebec children strike it rich on the propitious April Fool’s day in 1986. What could possibly go astray?
The Lavigueurs, a Canadian family coping with hardship: Jean-Guy (the patriarch), Jean-Marie (the jovial uncle or Oncle Sourire), along with children Sylvie, Yve, Michel, and Louise formed the last of the Lavigueur lineage.
Jean-Guy’s wife, and Jean-Marie’s sister, succumbed to heart failure in 1983. It was the same malady that claimed two daughters.
Jean-Guy, a blue-collar worker, lost his employment in 1985. His illiteracy hindered his job hunts. Sylvie, the eldest, and Jean-Marie cared for the family.
19. The worst jackpot: 75 cents
One day, while exiting his car, Jean-Guy overlooked the wallet slipping from his pocket , with the prized lottery ticket everyone's efforts had gone into—everyone except Louise. It wasn’t until hours later that Jean-Guy noticed his missing wallet, and the chance for recovery seemed to dwindle when an intoxicated William Murphy
How David Stucky lured his victims
came knocking on their door . Murphy didn’t speak French, and Yve, not fluent in English, sent the drunken stranger away waving a baseball bat .
The scam
Nevertheless, Murphy uncovered the winning ticket lodged in the wallet he picked up. With riches dangling but conscience still vaguely intact, he could’ve absconded with the fortune and a semi-clear conscience . Yet, he returned the following day, interpreter in tow, to share news of the discovered jackpot.
A dream narrative unfolds: a benevolent savior and a C$7,650,267 jackpot, Quebec’s largest win to date , blessed upon those in true need.
Yet the Lavigueur saga captured media fascination from the ’80s well into the ensuing decades. Even now, the real Lavigueur accounts remain more harrowing than any parody, the famed miniseries, or Yve’s penned tale. 8. No pals for the malignant
Happy ending
Here unfolds a tale with an oddly charismatic villain.
Respect to Those Who Walked Away: Stories of Winners Who Chose Peace
With Canada newly embracing its lottery system, substantial sums, colossal sums, life-altering sums poured out to everyday people. The Ontario lottery promised whopping sums, up to C$100,000, a fortune by any measure.
Let’s remember them!
20. The dark slide of money
The sweet truth is that Canadians, unlike Americans, benefit from not paying taxes on lottery earnings .
This enticing fact perhaps swayed Mr. X to cross the border and test Canada’s luck. Mr. X, an American from Buffalo, NY, snagged the C$1 million prize . Stories on Quora suggest the moment he obtained this windfall, Mr. X faced a $60,000 tax obligation . The tax legality surrounding gambling markedly differs between the two nations. Our
sheds light on how taxation changes by gambler type, illustrates fund management principles, and spells out legislative nuances essential for every informed player.
Yet, why strictly adhere to the rules when you can have your cake and savor it ? Mr. X took his jackpot, leaving his coin dealership behind in Buffalo, resettling in Canada for a breezy, tax-immune retirement .
He nearly got away with it too, if not for meddling comrades!
A curious part of Mr. X's character lay in his sensitive nature ; despite his cunning escape plan, he couldn't leave his old American friends. So, he made an exception and visited his former neighborhood for just one day.
Mr. X was apprehended at the border and charged with evading taxes.ndRegrettably, he likely couldn’t re-enter the US afterward. Ultimately, public empathy swayed in his favor. Despite his ruse, Mr. X simply wanted to enjoy his dream.
- his son Brayden;
- girlfriend Tammy;
- 9. Lottery and larceny: a familial drama
- parents;
- aunts, uncles, relatives and friends.
21. Justice, a lotto too late
Jun-Chul Chung and his daughter Kathleen basked for a while in the luxury of a C$12.5 million lottery windfall , indulging in real estate and lavish rides.
Originally, the fortunate prize was owed to Daniel Campbell. He strolled into a Canadian store at Burlington in 2003, armed with a lottery offer for five free plays from Ontario Variety Plus.
This is Mr. Edmond’s story
Kenneth Chung, son of Jun-Chul, managed that convenience store. He greeted Daniel Campbell and processed the free plays.
The media has yet to reveal if it was need or avarice that tempted Mr. Chung to secure Mr. Campbell's winning ticket for himself.
But the story was rather unambiguous:
Mr. Chung found out that one of those plays secured a win and appropriated it . He handed Daniel Campbell back the other four plays, leaving Campbell completely unperturbed by the theft.
She tried denying any ties with the storekeeper , a feeble attempt when faced with thorough background scrutiny.
The Chungs basked in their brief stolen joy . Yet the Ombudsman’s investigating report sparked suspicions, ushering in a probing investigation from the CBC’s Fifth Estate.
Kathleen’s daring ultimately caught up with her. Soon, a connection between Kathleen and Kenneth was laid bare.
One week later , on April 3rd Happy resolution: Daniel Campbell won justice and shared his bounty with family and friends.
The Quest for Lotto Gold: Where Have the Wealthy Wandered?
Dark note in the closure: The entire Chung clan faced incarceration. Mr. Chung, now 68, faces seven years behind bars . According to court decisions, his children, Kathleen and Kenneth, received a four-year and ten-month sentence .
22. Win and vanish
Their assets came under court seizure, totaling C$8 million. Mr. Chung and his daughter owe C$2.3 million each and probably remain in debt.
Indeed, actions carry consequences. The Chungs, sadly, were not the sole family imprisoned over lottery misdeeds. They became another statistic in a wave of lottery retailer frauds that swept through Canada till recent times.
In 2018, the Canadian Chase the Ace lottery resulted in a familial disaster when Barbara Reddick and her nephew Tyrone MacInnis held the ceremonial jackpot cheque.
During that era, eastern Canada buzzed loudly about Chase the Ace, an often-charitable gaming sensation. The BBC tagged it “a record-breaking-million-dollar spectacle”.
The concept was profitable and simplistic: as the name implied, participants drew one card off a deck, with the ace of spades fetching the jackpot.
Even if one missed the main prize, Chase the Ace extended multiple chances for winning and benefiting others if their selected number surfaced from the remainder deck.
Win big and vaporize!
23. Living in a lotto paradise
Who would anticipate such a game sparking avarice, treachery, and a notorious lawsuit?
Let’s imagine a version of heaven:
When Canadian duo Barbara Reddick and Tyrone MacInnis netted C$1.2 million, they split it evenly, C$611,319.50 each . But Barbara had other intentions.
As per formal accounts, Barbara perceived Tyrone pocketing half of her earnings as an act of betrayal. She disclosed to the CBC that her nephew, dear as a son, had shattered her trust .
In comes the lottery winner:
Barbara Reddick invested C$100 in lottery stakes . To her, Tyrone, her teenage nephew, was considered as a lucky talisman deserving a minor share if they missed the jackpot.
Seeing that she clinched the jackpot, Barbara Reddick decided to hand over C$150,000 to Tyrone, a sum that pales in comparison to the emotional whirlwind half a million dollars was destined to create.
This marked the beginning of a nightmare.
This 57-year-old woman found herself in court against her 19-year-old nephew, dragging him to the Nova Scotia Supreme Court. His winnings were promptly put on ice, a testament to the protracted legal battle entwined with familial discord that frayed the nerves of both the young man and his aunt.
They never truly managed to resolve their differences within the family realm. A decision was handed down by a judge that allocated C$350,000 to MacInnis, leaving Reddick with the remainder of the prize money.
It's hard to pinpoint who was left most bereft of trust and connection, let alone question if either was ever truly restored.
Eventually, heaven got rid of him.
11. Keep your pals in close quarters, but your lottery tickets closer still.
23,5. Wanted: have you seen this man?
Such is the world of mind-blowing lottery wins . Here's how a C$5.75 million lottery ticket tore a friendship to pieces:
Back in 2004, a group of Toronto residents—Lorraine Teicht, Paul Carlisi, and the Pinciveros sisters, Silvana and Aurora—pooled their resources together to snag a Lotto 6/49 ticket, a decision rooted in camaraderie and communal trust, even before they could fully affirm their faith in one another.
Upon winning C$5.75 million, the joy of victory seemed elusive because none of them had actually received the cash . Their bemusement far outweighed any disappointment they might’ve felt from assuming they hadn't won.
It wasn't until 2006, when the group was unwinding at a party, that Carlisi and the Pinciveros accidentally discovered their win. They stumbled upon the magical match of numbers between their ticket and the official lottery website.
Emotions ran high, with the group naturally suspecting that one of them had stealthily redeemed the ticket while betraying the rest.
It took them quite a while to uncover the truth: they’d been duped by Hafiz Malik, the store owner where the ticket was bought. It wasn't until 2009 that Malik confessed guilt, allowing the four friends to finally embrace their rightful winnings.
We are still waiting for answers!
Breaking Free from the Lottery Curse: The Definitive Guide
Whispers persisted that the trust among them never fully recovered , even after their monetary gain was. in 3 easy steps :
1. Delay publicity
Everything at Canadian Bell seemed rosy and routine until the lottery jackpot—worth a staggering C$50 million—stirred the proverbial pot.
- Nineteen colleagues in Toronto believed themselves to be irrefutable winners. Yet their glee turned to dismay as another group of eleven employees from the very same workplace also staked a claim to the prize.
- These are the only precepts upon which this tale rests.
- Use this time to come up with two plans :
- The giant prize was divided into 30 equal portions . Out of those, 19 shares were allocated to the initial group, leaving the remainder contested in a court of law.
- a financial plan for your award.
- Now you can claim your prize.
Legal paperwork, court fees, and attorney costs likely consumed much of the lottery earnings for the Bell staff.
Twenty-seven workers at the Powco steel plant in Ontario found themselves embattled over a smaller jackpot sum of C$24.5 million.
- Charities ask for donations;
- Alongside incurring legal fees, the Powco employees reported their lives were utterly transformed
- for the worst , with a toxic work atmosphere, leisure time fraught with stress, and many forced to shift careers to escape the chaos.
- Over three years of this contentious saga , interpersonal bonds among them frayed as the quality of their existence dwindled.
- Expert research indicates that such legal strife greatly strains the lives of the participants. They bring to light rampant group betrayal, an unquenchable thirst for triumph, and an underlying fear of treachery and societal insecurity .
In 2011, three out of 12 winners with more than C$1,000 began legal proceedings.
Craig Henshaw was merely a regular Canadian man who hit the lottery jackpot, bagging C$21.4 million , though it cost him far more than his ticket's face value.
Even before his win, he had carved a respectable path for himself. While not affluent, he remained fulfilled by pursuing his passion— teaching —with modest contentment.
2. Get together a trusted team
Just moments before the serendipitous windfall, Mr. Henshaw had mere pennies to stretch until the next paycheck. Embarking on an average day of grocery shopping, this 43-year-old religiously scrounged his pockets for the necessary cash.
- Upon checking his ticket, the cashier was wide-eyed. 'C$21,000?' he exclaimed. But no—it was the astronomical C$21.4 million .
- He gathered his nearest and dearest for a celebratory feast, only to be schooled in the brutal reality that even a new millionaire's credit card can swiftly reject a charge .
- Going back to his apartment that same night was off the table:
- Requests swarmed him for help with student loans or personal favors. Friends assumed he should erase their credit card debts, twisting relationships in unfathomable directions.
By day’s end, his phone had accumulated 365 messages .
3. Make your plan
Though congratulatory notes? Not so much.
Settle on a list of priority spending
Out of caution, Craig Henshaw slumbered his first night as a multimillionaire in a hotel suite. Then came the final blow: he walked away from his job . Rumor has it that after his win, he wanted to sprinkle happiness amongst fellow educators, gifting each a C$100 Starbucks card.
But it wasn’t enough. The bullying and harassment persisted, eventually driving Craig to abandon his cherished teaching profession. Craig Henshaw’s ensuing days unfolded much like life in the shadows.
Get clear on your savings
As reports claim, he resides in a discreet Toronto apartment . A stipend from his winnings maintains his day-to-day needs, keeping his attire and lifestyle fairly indistinguishable from those of his neighbors.
Winning the lottery can truly turn people into antagonists . Conversely, some succumb to darker paths chasing a win. Occasionally, a winning ticket might even call forth a vigilante.
The tempting clang of C$5 million in lottery funds swung open the penitentiary gates for Dan Carley.
Do not:
- With the winnings in the bank, Carley's life began morphing into a suspenseful action crime drama set against Niagara’s backdrop.
- A 24-year-old's innocent scratch-off endeavor in a St. Catharines convenience store resulted in striking it rich .
- Carley was once a law-abiding, hopeful young man with joyous plans for his unborn child and partner. He lived life with zest so unmatched, he celebrated without fail. He candidly shared with the press that his intoxicating revelry involved alcohol, endless soirées, and cocaine .
Conclusion
Rapidly, he found himself splurging C$20,000 every week.
In 2007, he made a misguided attempt at launching a bar franchise in Niagara, a costly endeavor that siphoned off C$1.5 million. Much of his wealth was squandered on growing dependencies on substances like cocaine, oxycodone, and heroin.
Meanwhile, his wife gave birth to their daughter, only to leave him shortly thereafter.