Recent $167m lottery winner arrested for allegedly stealing $12,000 in Kentucky | Kentucky
A man who recently won a $167 million Powerball lottery jackpot is accused of stealing the relatively paltry sum of $12,000 after breaking into a home in his hometown of Kentucky on Saturday, according to authorities who arrested him.
James Farthing’s arrest Saturday on charges of burglary and illegal possession of marijuana was at least the third since he won Kentucky’s most lucrative lottery prize ever.
Farthing, 51, was allegedly captured on security cameras at the side door of a Lexington woman’s home before illegally entering her, police wrote in an arrest warrant reported by the local news outlet. WKYT. The breaking-in victim heard a loud noise consistent with a door being broken open, and after Farthing entered, he noticed $12,000 was missing from the home, officers said in the citation.
Police later found Farthing at a casino and harness racing track and detained him in connection with the alleged theft. Officers added a count of illegal marijuana possession after searching his car and finding weed and several blunt items, including a burnt one in the ashtray of his vehicle, he said.
According to the report, Farthing had spent most of his life in and out of prison before he, his mother and his girlfriend bought the winning ticket for the $167 million Powerball jackpot awarded in April 2025. Cigarette Gun website.
Hitting the jackpot forced them to decide whether to collect the full amount in annual increments over 29 years or in a one-time lump sum payment of $77.3 million.
Farthing and his family said they would consult with a financial advisor before choosing the option that is better for them.
In Farthing’s words, the victory was due to betting odds being manipulated. “I always buy [lottery tickets] ‘Because I thought, ‘Someone has to win,'” he later said said WKYT.
It took several days for him to register another blow to the law, when authorities in Florida said he struck a hotel guest in the face, kicked a deputy and violated the terms of his parole by leaving Kentucky without permission.
WKYT pleaded guilty in the case in early March as part of a deal that required him to pay a $1,000 fine but avoid additional jail time. reported.
Also in February, Kentucky authorities arrested Farthing for allegedly trying to intimidate a participant in a legal proceeding. Investigators said the alleged victim in that case reported meeting Farthing and being pressured to swallow a marijuana edible. It was reported that the woman later called the police and said that the gunmen wanted to harm her.
Police teams arriving at the scene claimed to have found marijuana and a gun. While the alleged victim was being questioned, police accused Farthing of sending him a text message that read: “Why would you do this to me? It’s unreal. I would never hurt you.”
Farthing was due to appear in court tentatively on Monday on the theft case and on Thursday on the intimidation charge. He also reportedly has a separate hit-and-run case pending.
