THIS is the tragic story of a lottery winner who blew £3.5million on luxury cars and extravagant holidays.
John Roberts was just 30 when he won big in 1998, but he was said to end up penniless and living in a caravan by 34.
2
2
The lucky man was one of the biggest lottery winners in Scotland when he scooped the £3.5m.
John and then-wife Linda were said to have packed up their life in Edinburgh and shifted into a luxury Tudor mansion in Blackpool with their five children.
The Scotsman reported the pair splashed on 40 top-of the range cars, and once racked up a £40,000 hotel bill.
However, the pair split and John, a former security guard, was said to have lost the lot after being tricked by so-called friends.
The Mirror reported he fell victim to a string of dodgy investments including believing he had bought a pub, only to find his name had never been on the deeds.
John was said to have lost his fortune in just three years – and ended up living in a caravan in Leeds.
He was rumoured to have been forced to live on handouts from friends and family, EdinburghLive reported.
As a result, John appeared on ITV’s A Decade of Lottery Disasters.
Most read in Money
But John, who would now be in his 50s, seemed to get into trouble from the start.
Only days after his win, it emerged that police had issued two arrest warrants for him after he failed to pay fines for a series of motoring offences and had skipped two means inquiry hearings at Edinburgh Sheriff Court.
The Herald Scotland also reported that the Edinburgh City Council was chasing the former security guard for rent arrears and unpaid council tax – but he eventually paid up.
John isn’t the first lottery winner to have a tragic tale.
One couple took home £1.8million before losing it all and blaming each other.
Another man from a council estate won a £10million jackpot before losing it all in sad circumstances.
While one of the UK’s youngest winners scooped up a whopping £390k while working at his parents’ green grocer – before tragedy hit.
