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| Photo via WVLT |
James Farthing, 51, of Kentucky, won a $167.3 million Powerball jackpot in April 2025 — the largest Powerball jackpot ever won in Kentucky, according to People. Since claiming that life-changing prize, he has now been arrested five times. His latest arrest came on a public intoxication charge after deputies found him asleep in a running car in a Walmart parking lot.
The Fifth Arrest: Asleep in a Walmart Parking Lot
Farthing was taken into custody around 4:04 a.m. on Sunday, September 20, 2026, in Georgetown, Kentucky, and charged with alcohol intoxication in a public place, per WHAS11 and LEX 18 News, citing an arrest citation.
According to People (via Yahoo News, published September 21, 2026), the incident began shortly before 3 a.m., when a passerby reported a white Ford Mustang with a temporary tag stopped in the intersection of Cherry Blossom Way and Connector Road. The vehicle later moved to a nearby Walmart parking lot and stopped near the EV charging stations.
Deputies found the Mustang still running with Farthing alone inside, asleep in the passenger seat. They had to knock on the window repeatedly to wake him. Deputies alleged he had bloodshot and watery eyes, slurred speech, difficulty maintaining balance, and that they smelled alcohol and marijuana. He was described as "manifestly under the influence of alcohol" and believed to pose a danger to himself and others because he could operate the vehicle while impaired.
Farthing claimed a woman drove him to the lot and left him there — but surveillance footage reportedly showed the Mustang arriving with no one getting out before police arrived. He was taken to the Scott County Detention Center.
Four Prior Arrests Since the Jackpot Win
All four of Farthing's earlier arrests came after he claimed the lottery prize:
- Days after claiming the prize: arrested in Pinellas County, Florida, after an altercation at a resort — charged with battery on a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest after police said he kicked an officer trying to break up an altercation involving Farthing and another person.
- February 2026 (Kentucky): arrested and charged with intimidation of a participant in the legal process.
- March 2026: arrested on second-degree burglary and marijuana possession; police alleged he entered a Lexington home and took about $12,000 in cash.
- July 2026: arrested in Scott County after an alleged domestic violence incident — charged with first-degree strangulation and fourth-degree assault causing minor injury. The alleged victim said they had argued after returning from a boating trip and accused him of putting both hands around her neck, restricting her breathing. He pleaded not guilty at a July 28 court appearance; bond was set at $15,000 and he was ordered to avoid contact with the alleged victim and wear a monitoring device, per LEX 18 News.
How Scammers Exploit Lottery Winner Headlines
Stories like Farthing's go massively viral — and scammers know it. Every time a huge lottery jackpot makes national news, fraud artists blast out fake "you've won the lottery" emails, texts, and social media messages designed to look like the real thing. They borrow details from real headlines — real jackpot amounts, real winner names, real lottery brands like Powerball — to make their phishing messages sound legitimate.
The setup is almost always an advance-fee scam: you're told you've won a prize, but you must pay "taxes," "processing fees," or "delivery charges" before you can collect it. The prize doesn't exist. Once you pay, the scammer disappears — or keeps inventing new fees.
Red Flags of a Lottery Scam
- You can't win a lottery you never entered. If you didn't buy a ticket, any "win" notification is a scam.
- You're asked to pay money upfront to claim a prize — real lotteries deduct taxes from winnings; they never demand gift cards, wire transfers, or crypto payments first.
- Pressure and urgency — "claim within 24 hours or lose it all" is designed to stop you from thinking.
- Contact from unofficial channels — real lotteries don't notify big winners by random email, text, or Facebook message.
- Requests for personal or banking information to "verify" your win.
How to Protect Yourself
- Never respond to, click links in, or call back numbers from unexpected "lottery win" messages.
- Never pay fees to collect a supposed prize.
- Verify claims only through the official state lottery website or by calling the lottery directly.
- Report lottery scams to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to your state attorney general.
- Warn older relatives — they are disproportionately targeted by these scams.
Source: People via Yahoo News, "167 Million Lottery Jackpot Winner Arrested for the Fifth Time Since His Win," by Angelique Brenes, published September 21, 2026. All charges described are allegations; Farthing pleaded not guilty to the July 2026 charges.
