Powerball Winner Arrested DAYS After Winning $167M Jackpot

Just days after James Farthing, a 50-year-old Kentucky man, struck it rich with a $167.3 million Powerball jackpot, he’s now sitting in a Florida jail cell—accused of kicking a cop and getting drunk and violent at a luxury beach resort.

What should have been the trip of a lifetime quickly spiraled into chaos.

According to Pinellas County authorities, Farthing and his girlfriend, 42-year-old Jacqueline Fightmaster, were arrested early Wednesday morning following a drunken confrontation at the upscale TradeWinds Island Grand Resort on St. Pete Beach. Police say the couple—fresh off their big win—were celebrating with alcohol and mayhem.

Witnesses say it all began at the resort’s bar around 11 p.m., when Farthing, clearly intoxicated, got into a shouting match with another guest that escalated into a physical altercation. According to the arrest affidavit, he allegedly punched the man in the face before law enforcement arrived. That’s when things went from bad to worse.

Deputies reported that Farthing, belligerent and resisting arrest, lashed out violently—kicking one of them directly in the face. The officer suffered visible injuries, including swelling and bruising near his eye. Farthing now faces a felony charge for battery on a law enforcement officer, in addition to two misdemeanor counts of resisting arrest and simple battery.

His girlfriend, Fightmaster, was also taken into custody for public intoxication after allegedly screaming incoherently and verbally attacking resort staff and officers.

“[Fightmaster] appeared very intoxicated and was yelling, screaming and making incoherent statements,” the affidavit reads.

But this isn’t Farthing’s first run-in with the law.

Court records from Kentucky show a lengthy rap sheet. Farthing is a convicted felon with a background that includes theft, drug offenses, tampering with evidence, organized crime involvement, and receiving stolen property. He was out on parole at the time of the incident—set to expire in August 2025—and is now facing a parole violation warrant back home.

In an ironic twist, Farthing had just posed for photos a few days earlier holding a massive check alongside his mother, Linda Grizzle, after claiming one of the largest Powerball prizes in Kentucky history. The pair had purchased the $2 winning ticket at Clark’s Pump-N-Shop in Georgetown. They chose the lump-sum payout: a staggering $77.3 million before taxes.

Grizzle, visibly emotional at the press conference, had said, “It’s going to be a good Mother’s Day. This is going to pay off my debt.”

Now, that dream has hit a hard legal wall.

Farthing remains behind bars in Florida on a $10,000 bond. Jail records show he has $315 in his commissary account, likely the only portion of his fortune he can currently access. His court date is still pending.

The story has already ignited debate across social media, with some blaming the money for fueling bad behavior, while others point to Farthing’s criminal past as a sign that money doesn’t fix character.

“This is why background checks should matter more with sudden wealth,” one commenter wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “The man had no business walking away with millions.”

Whether this was a momentary lapse or the beginning of another downfall remains to be seen. But one thing’s certain: no amount of money can buy common sense—or keep you out of jail if you kick a cop in the face.

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