When it was announced that it was Marie Holmes who won the Powerball, she touched the hearts of almost everyone in America, declaring how this miraculous win would help her start anew in life with her 4 children.
One of her children was unfortunately stricken with cerebral palsy, and of course, it was natural for people to feel happy for a single mother who is in dire need of help. However, some of her decisions regarding how she spent her money would look "ridiculous and stupid" for most people.
When Holmes first won the lottery with an astounding prize of $188 million, she said that she will use the money to move out of an apartment she shared with 7 other people, and buy a home that suits her children. She also planned to make a huge donation to her church, and most importantly, she said she would give her kids the life they deserve.
On October 23, 2015, Holmes still continue to spend her money on bailing her boyfriend and keep him out of jail by paying his legal fees, which as of now reached nearly $10 million. When she won the lottery, she chose the lump sum cash payment and was given a total of $88 million after taxes.
Just after a few days of being the newest millionaire of North Carolina, Holmes bailed her boyfriend Lamarr "Hot Sauce" McDow out of jail for a sum of $3 million dollars. McDow was first referred to as her "roommate", but other reports later indicate that they are engaged.
McDow was jailed for heroin charges and then released on bail. After that, he was arrested again for failure to follow a court-ordered curfew, and along with that he was found to have illegal weapons and drugs. This cost Holmes another $6 million dollars just to bail him out.
It was not only McDow who's in trouble. The lottery winner herself, age 31, was also arrested on drug charges when the police came to fetch her boyfriend and smelled marijuana. Three of her kids were at home at those times, but the Family and Children Services did not get involved.
Holmes is being bashed on social media for allowing her children to live with a drug dealer at home and for wasting her money on such a man who is clearly unwilling to change his ways. Furious that she's the center of negative attention about her bail-spending spree, she wrote on her Facebook page, "What Y'all need to be worried about is Y'all money and not how I spend mine this is benefiting Y'all how?. "And no he's no drug dealer or user but who are Y'all to judge anybody? I will definitely pray for Y'all because it's much need...they talked about Jesus so I'm not surprised Y'all are talking about me but be blessed though."
While out on bail once more, McDow is again arrested and put back into jail because he was found to have a gun, which is not permitted if you are a convicted felon. Holmes again shelled out another $10,000 for bail, which, if you think about it, is a tiny drop in the pail compared to the millions she has already squandered, but his legal fees might be through the roof after all of these charges.
While winning the lottery is definitely a dream come true for most of us, this story of Holmes is one example that we need to think carefully on what we should do if we did won the lottery. With how things are turning out for Holmes, only the future can tell how her inspirational and historic lottery jackpot win will end.
source: www.coolcat-casino.com/casino-news/lottery-winner-reportedly-spends-10-million-on-hot-sauce.php
