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ONE year ago, Edwin Castro became an overnight multimillionaire when he claimed the biggest jackpot in US history.
He won the mind-blowing $2.04 billion prize in November 2022, however, the news didn’t become public until Valentine’s Day 2023.
Castro’s ticket matched all five numbers plus the Powerball number in the November 7, 2022, drawing for what was then a $1.9 billion jackpot.
However, final ticket sales ultimately pushed the grand total to $2.04 billion.
After claiming his prize, Castro chose a lump sum of $997.6 million, according to the California Lottery.
After taxes, he walked away with $628.5 million.
Since then, Castro has bought three homes in California along with vintage cars, including two Porches, according to new reports.
He hasn’t spoken out much since his big win but one state that California public schools were “the real winner,” saying in a written statement that he was shocked and ecstatic over his win.
“As much as I am shocked and ecstatic to have won the Powerball drawing, the real winner is the California public school system. The mission of the California Lottery, which is to provide supplemental funding for California public education – both public schools and colleges – makes this a huge win for the state,” Castro wrote.
“As someone who received the rewards of being educated in the California public education system, it’s gratifying to hear that, as a result of my win, the California school system greatly benefits as well.”
Alva Johnson, the director of the California Lottery, announced Castro’s win last year in Sacramento.
“As you might imagine, anyone would like to largely remain private,” said Johnson at the time.
“We offer our sincere congratulations on this unbelievable and historic win.”
There was major interest surrounding the $2 billion prize, causing a delay in the drawing for hours, which Powerball attributed to “a participating lottery needing more time to complete the required security protocols.”
Despite the delayed drawing, it didn’t take long for lottery officials to announce that Joe’s Service Center, a Mobil gas station in Altadena, California, near Los Angeles, sold the winning ticket.
Owner Joe Chahayed Jr. said he had plans to share the money with his 11 grandchildren in a press conference.
He was awarded a $1 million bonus by the California Lottery for selling the winning ticket.
“We want to thank all of our community members that always come that are dedicated to this station,” Chahayed said at the time.
“They truly believe in luck and they truly believe that some things are just deserved to be.”
Chahayed became someone of a local celebrity as several people have showed up to Joe’s Service Center to touch the window sign for good luck.
BIG SPENDER
Castro’s extravagant purchases since his big win have scattered headlines in the past year.
The first major purchase was a $25.5 million estate in Hollywood Hills on March 1, 2023.
The 13,500-square-foot mansion sits on 0.58 acres of land had has five bedrooms, seven bathrooms, a game room, a wine cellar, a movie theater, a bar, a spa, and a fitness studio.
The main bedroom has its own balcony.
The home also has a seven-car garage.
Some of his neighbors include Ariana Grande, Jimmy Kimmel, and Dakota Johnson.
His second home is located in Altadena, Castro’s hometown, and is a $4 million Japanese-style mansion with five bedrooms and four bathrooms.
The home has seven bedrooms and 11 bathrooms with a koi pond and infinity pool.
At the time of his Powerball win, Castro was living in a one-bedroom home.
LAWSUIT CLAIMS
Castro’s new-found wealth hasn’t come without its own set of headaches after a man claimed that the winning ticket had actually been stolen.
On April 25, 2023, Jose Rivera claimed he bought the winning ticket on November 7, 2022, hours before the drawing.
However, California Lottery officials have backed up Castro and defended its vetting process.
The California lottery processes more than 10,000 prize claims a month at its headquarters in Sacramento.
Officials urge players who believe they may have a winning ticket to sign their name on the back of the ticket and keep it in a safe place.
Players are also recommended to seek financial and legal advice and contact their state lottery to make an appointment to claim the prize.
A heavy-duty vetting process must also take place to ensure a person is the legitimate winner.
