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Ten lottery winners who lost it all

Dan Carley, then 24, proudly displays his lottery winnings in 2006. (ONTARIO LOTTERY & GAMING CORP) (ONTARIO LOTTERY & GAMING CORP)

Dan Carley’s tragic tumble from lottery winner to convicted cocaine trafficker caught the attention of Canadians across the country last week.

10 years ago, the now 35-year-old from St. Catharines, Ont., won $5 million at the tender of 24.

And his life quickly spiraled out of control.

He told The Toronto Star that he was soon “drinking every single day, partying every single day, doing coke.”

Carley estimated that over the next nine years more the one-fifth of his winnings went towards feeding his habits for cocaine, oxycodone and heroine.

He was sentenced to serve two-and-a-half years for cocaine trafficking earlier this month.

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But Carley isn’t the only lottery winner with a tragic tale of riches to rags.

About 70 per cent of people who unexpectedly receive an influx of cash will be broke within seven years, according to the National Endowment for Financial Education.

Here’s a look at others who lucked out but lost it all.

Michael Carroll

The Brit won a US$15-million jackpot in 2002, according to The Week, before frittering it away on cocaine, parties, cars and, reportedly, up to four prostitutes a day.

As of 2010, he was seeking to get his job back as a garbage man.

Evelyn Adams

The New Jersey native beat the odds and won the lottery twice in 1985 and in 1986.

In total, she took home US$5.4. million but lost it gambling in Atlantic City, according to AskMen.com.

According to Business Insider, she currently lives in a trailer park.

Willie Hurt

Before he won US$3.1 million in the Michigan Lottery, Hurt was a “happily married family man,” who was known in his community,” according to AskMen.com.

But two years later, his past life was gone: he and his wife separated, he lost custody of his children and had been charged with attempted murder.

Hurt reportedly lost all of his winnings to feed his crack cocaine habit and the divorce proceedings.

Denise Rossi

Rossi reportedly tried to pull one of the biggest deceptions in lottery history. Eleven days after she won $1.3 million in the California lottery in 1996, she filed for divorce from her husband of 26 years, Thomas Rossi, and he “couldn’t understand it,” according to People.

But it all came together two years later, when a letter addressed to his wife revealing her big win mistakenly showed up at his new Los Angles apartment.

Thomas Rossi took his ex-wife to court for not disclosing the money, and the judge eventually forced her to turn over the entire sum. 

Billie Bob Harrell Jr.

The former Pentecostal preacher and Home Depot stocker took home a US$31 million Texas jackpot in 1997.

Initially, Harrell spent his winnings on numerous properties, including a ranch and six homes, as well as a slew of new cars.

However, he eventually found himself being unable to say “no," and was "losing and loaning money at an alarming rate,” according to Business Pundit.

Two years after his win he divorced his wife, and then died by suicide. “Winning the lottery is the worst thing that ever happened to me,” he said shortly before his death.

Luke Pittard

The Wales native won US$1.9 million in 2006, but squandered the winnings on a trip to the Canary Islands, a wedding and a house.

Less than two years later, Pittard was forced to take a job at McDonald’s, according to Business Insider.

William Post

A string of unbelievably unfortunate events led to William Post ending up US$1 million in debt and filing for bankruptcy a year after his lottery win.

According to MSN Money, following his win of Pennsylvania’s US$16.2 million jackpot in 1988, he was sued by his ex-girlfriend for a share of the pot, his brother hired a hit man in his own attempt to get his hands on the money and his relatives dogged him for their own share.

Business insider reported that he was living off food stamps and a $450-a-month stipend.

Gerald Muswagon

In 1998, Muswagon, of Norway House in northern Manitoba, won a $10-million lottery jackpot through a $2 Super 7 ticket.

Seven years later, he died by suicide when he hanged himself in his parent’s garage, according to The Canadian Press.

Following his win, his spending habits became a “local legend,” as he purchased several new vehicles for himself and his friends, a house that became a “nightly party pad,” and splurged on drugs and alcohol.

According to CP, one day he bought eight big-screen TVs for his friends.

He also failed to start a logging business and got in trouble with the law on several occasions, including a three-month stint in jail for dangerous driving, as well another three-month sentence for sexual assault after he repeatedly fondled a woman who he had asked to clean his house while he mourned the death of his wife weeks earlier.

Ibi Roncailoli

Roncaioli won $5 million in the 1991 Lotto/649 draw.

Seventeen years later, her husband, Dr. Joseph Roncaioli of Thornhill, Ont., was found guilty of manslaughter in her poisoning death in their mansion, according to The Star. 

The Crown suggested at the time that the doctor was upset because his wife had wasted their fortune and left nothing for retirement.

The court heard that Ibi Roncailoli had given about $800,000 to the couple’s son, but also, a similar amount to another child – that she had with a different man – who lived with them.

Another $2 million was given to another son that she had with a third man, whose existence was kept secret.

Callie Rogers

At the tender age of 16, Rogers was likely unprepared for her newfound riches when she won the United Kingdom’s lottery of about US$3 million in 2003.

According to Gawker, she frittered away the money on homes, vacations, as well as relatives and friends.

Rogers told Gawker that she’s broke and is trying to get her life back on track after two suicide attempts.