THE man suing Powerball winner Edwin Castro has been fined after failing to show up at court as his case appears to be falling apart, The U.S. Sun can exclusively reveal.

Jose Rivera, who claims the millionaire cashed in his stolen ticket, has also been ordered to get a psychiatric evaluation after being criminally charged with filing a false police complaint in Pasadena, California, in a separate case.

But Rivera’s lawsuit, filed in Alhambra, in which he is suing Castro over the same claim, has stalled after he was a no-show at his case management conference on Friday.

In the morning meeting, Judge William Crowfoot spoke with Lisa Freund, representing the California Lottery Commission, and one of Castro’s new lawyers, Kate Morrissett, an associate with The Freedman Firm.

After initially struggling to connect through Zoom, Crowfoot declared that Rivera was now representing himself after losing more than one lawyer in the case before the three talked through an issue with a demurrer.

“This is also the time and place set for a case management conference on this matter,” Crowfoot said.

“We don’t have the plaintiff here, so I’m not going to set a trial date without the plaintiff present.”

He announced that the court would hear Castro’s demurrer on July 25, and the case management conference would be continued until the same date.

“I’m also going to show cause for sanctions on Plaintiff, for Plaintiff’s failure to appear for today’s case management conference, and that would be up to $1,550.”

COURT DRAMA

A source told The U.S. Sun on Friday Rivera had been confused about his court date for the civil case in Alhambra during his appearance in Pasadena criminal court last week.

Rivera has a competency hearing set for March 5 as his criminal case has been suspended pending his mental health evaluation.

He erupted at the Pasadena courthouse during a tense hearing last week in which he fired his public defender and begged a judge to give him more time to hire his attorney.

Rivera, who has pleaded not guilty to the false report charge, previously admitted he couldn’t afford a lawyer and had already dropped one public defender before his arraignment.

He spoke over Judge Donna Hollingsworth and appeared upset after she ordered the evaluation, begging, “No, no, no, your honor, can I be given time?

“If I don’t have an attorney from here for a month and a half?”

She replied, “No, I’m ordering you to another courthouse.”

He interrupted the judge again and asked her, “If I hire another attorney can I take him to the other courthouse?”

But Hollingsworth clarified, “At this time, the criminal proceedings are suspended. I’m ordering you to a mental health courthouse for an examination and that is going to be on March 5.”

She said it would take place at the Hollywood Division, and staff would give him directions on how to get there, while he shook his head and sighed, “No, no, no.”

‘NO EVIDENCE’

He appeared dejected and told a friend repeatedly, “There’s no justice,” before almost walking out of the courtroom.

As he continued to complain to a friend, Hollingsworth warned, “You need to be quiet please.”

A legal expert told The U.S. Sun things are not looking positive for Rivera, who previously refused to withdraw his complaint.

Attorney Neama Rahmani, president of Los Angeles-based West Coast Trial Lawyers, said “The psychiatric evaluation and criminal trial are two separate things.

“If Rivera is ruled incompetent, the criminal trial is put on hold until he is restored to competence. His civil case against Castro won’t be able to proceed either.

“If Rivera is convicted of filing a false police report, his civil lawsuit against Castro will be dismissed.”

Rivera claims he purchased the ticket in Altadena and accused his former landlord, Urachi “Reggie” Romero, of stealing it.

Romero told the New York Post he believed Rivera had selected the winning numbers but had no idea what happened to his ticket and had not benefited from the win.

Castro’s former lawyer, David De Paoli, said his client had never met either of the men and believed the case in civil court would “go the way of the dinosaur,” as he’s failed to show any evidence.