Lottery winners are advised to keep their wins private. Most financial experts advise that large amounts can attract unwarranted attention from people. Imagine living in a small town where everybody knows each other; if the public knows the identity of a huge jackpot winner, they can show up at the house and just rob the one who won.

Some people are more cunning; and might use manipulation and guilt-tripping to have their way. This tactic is used mostly by family members or long-lost friends. Skipping town for a few weeks after is a good idea. This gives the person time and space to come up with a plan...

 

Marie Holmes Hits The Big Jackpot

When Marie Holmes hit the big jackpot in 2015, she was going through extremely hard times financially. At only 26 years old, she already had four children, one of which had been diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Taking care of children is hard enough, but one with special needs consumes even more time and energy.

Marie had to work five jobs for her to be able to care for her children. She was working for McDonald’s, Subway, KFC, Walmart, and Food Lion when she won a $188 million Powerball jackpot. It was her lucky day because her chances of winning were one to 175 million.

A Small History On The Lottery

The lottery is a type of gambling involving randomly drawing numbers to win prizes. Some governments have banned lotteries, while in other countries, the practice is legalized to the extent of being organized by the state. In most cases, the governing bodies always somehow regulate these activities.

One of the ways that the state regulates gambling is by prohibiting ticket sales to minors and ensuring that vendors are licensed. Governments use these games as a way to raise revenue without raising any taxes, which will put a strain on the citizens. The lottery comes in many formats, such as cash prizes or goods.

How The Lottery Works

When you play the lottery, you use a small amount of money to buy a ticket with a random number that will then be selected to win a prize. Although chances of winning are very low, this doesn’t stop people from spending millions or even billions on tickets annually. The lotto is treated just like any other income and is subject to taxation.

It is interesting to note that the government offers lotteries in the United States to raise revenue. The cash collected can be used towards funding various projects such as treating gambling addictions, protecting the environment, or funding educational projects.

Disbelief and Joy

When Marie won, she was overjoyed, and she knew that her life was about to change drastically. She had the winning ticket in her hand, but the payment does not happen instantly. The lottery ticket has to be verified by the state, a process that may take some time.

The winner also needs to decide if they want the cash in a lump sum or get the funds in installments. Marie decided to take the one-time payout, which after taxes and other deductions, amounted to $88 million. Some financial authorities believe it’s better to take lotto winnings in installments.

What Financial Advisors Think About Winning The Lottery

Mark Cuban, the Dallas Mavericks owner and an investor on "Shark Tank," advises that taking the prize in installments is more advisable. That way, the winner won't be tempted to spend all the funds in just one go or spend it all in one place.

His next advice may be controversial, but he believes the winner shouldn't become an investor. Cuban thinks the prize should be left in the bank, and the owner can live off it comfortably for the rest of their life. Trying to multiply the won earnings could lead the winner to lose everything, so they must be careful.

Lottery Winners Struggle To Keep Their Prize Money

It is a common pattern that most lottery winners struggle to keep their prizes responsibly. According to Reader’s Digest, most lose all their winnings, and 70% of them run through it in five years or less. Winners treat the income they have won differently from hard-earned cash. This behavior is called “mental accounting,” and it affects how people think about their income.

Even though cash has the same intrinsic value, people tend to spend won earnings frivolously compared to finances earned at a regular job. Somehow, they view these funds as “free,” which explains why all lotto winners behave similarly.

Planning What To Spend The Money On

Marie, an avid churchgoer, decided to donate some of her cash to the church. She also wanted to upgrade her living situation and buy a house that would be better suited for her and her children. Most financial gurus would have told Marie not to spend her money on anything for the first six months.

But considering her living situation, it is understandable that the first thing she did was buy a house. At the time of her win, she was living at her mom’s place with six other people, including her children. She and the children needed their own space.

The Church Donation

Marie was now an instant millionaire after many years of earning a meager minimum wage. She had already pledged that 10% of her earnings would go to the church. Strong believers, Marie and her mother truly believed that winning the big lotto was God’s doing.

Largely, tithing appears to be a matter of debate among modern Christians. The New Testament, and in particular Paul’s teaching in the book of Romans, suggests that one should give to the Lord what they want to give. In the book of Acts, the apostle further teaches that you cannot pay to qualify for the Kingdom of God.

The Tithing Debate Continues

Some argue that the church needs maintenance; priests and other less fortunate churchgoers need support from other more affluent members of the congregation. Therefore, those who earn more should contribute and help the ones in need. Some, however, insist on only giving what we can because not many of us are exactly living a wealthy life.

According to some sources, tithing is an Old Testament law. Church members are not obligated to give donations more than they are comfortable with. Giving ten percent to the church was a form of taxation because, back then, the church wasn't separate from the state.

A Greedy Pastor

Money sometimes brings out the worst in human beings, and most of the time, greedy people are eager for a get-rich-quick scheme. It is also a well-known fact that some men of the faith take advantage of their unsuspecting flock. This seemed to be the case with Marie and her pastor.

Marie and the pastor, Kevin Mathews, from the local church, had planned to build a retirement home after her win. The pair agreed that she would provide $1-2 million to facilitate the work. However, she only managed to give the pastor $700k to go towards buying land for their project.

Kevin Was Angered By Marie

Kevin felt he was entitled to Marie's money because he had provided her with spiritual and emotional support during hard times. They had reached a verbal agreement on how much Marie would contribute toward their project, but they hadn't signed any legal documents.

This didn't stop the pastor from making ridiculous demands and even going as far as suing Marie for $10 million. He even stated that he had to increase his anti-depressants dosage due to disagreements with the lotto winner. Marie felt distressed by all this, not to mention that she was also going through personal issues, so it was a rough time.

The Public Is Outraged By Pastor Matthews

When news of the pastor suing Marie hit the news, members of the public were shocked and outraged. The whole debacle was a perfect example of what it looked like to take advantage of a seemingly weaker person. Obviously, the pastor thought this would be an easy payout, and when the situation did not go his way, he wanted to force his hand.

To make matters worse, Kevin's church affiliation is unclear. He told news sources that he made financial commitments based on Marie's promise, and he believed that a third party got involved in stopping Marie from fulfilling their agreement.

More Money, More Problems

Marie was also having trouble at home. She had a boyfriend who had been imprisoned for being a notorious drug dealer. But with her newfound wealth, she wanted her family together and now had the means to make this a reality. Against better judgment, she decided to post bail for the father of her youngest daughter.

Lamar McDow, nicknamed "Hot Sauce," had been incarcerated for being caught with 8,000 bags of heroin. His beau paid $3 million to have him released, but his freedom didn't last. He was soon put behind bars again for violating his pre-trial release curfew agreements.

More Bail Money Spent

As if $3 million wasn't enough, our kindhearted lotto winner decided to post bail again for her man. This time, she spent double what she had spent before, a shocking $6 million. As if all that wasn't enough, she later spent an additional $12 million on her fiancé, still for bail and bond money.

When asked why he let Marie bail him out of tough spots, the defiant Lamar stated that they were a couple and that's what family does for one another. The two later broke up after welcoming another child together in 2017. Marie has taken a lot of heat for standing by her troubled man.

Marie Faces Her Own Legal Troubles

Clearly, Marie wasn't enjoying her newfound wealth. She was constantly in the headlines for the wrong reasons. To make matters worse, her fiancé Lamar never took responsibility for his actions. He blamed his problems on the justice system and the police, as is typical of a law-breaking criminal.

Marie would later face legal trouble of her own when a woman named Lorna Marlowe accused her of harassment. The Brunswick County Sheriff's office summoned her to answer the charges filed against her. Allegedly, she contacted Marlowe and threatened to inflict bodily harm on her. The woman was having an affair with her fiancé.

More Drama At Home

When police visited the couple's home to arrest Lamar for his curfew violation, Marie was also caught in the mix of her fiancé's illegal antics. Law enforcement officers came to the home and noticed a strong smell of marijuana in the air.

The officers then found less than a half ounce of the drug and paraphernalia in her home. She and two other adults, Danell McNeil and Damarius Simmons, found in the home, were charged with drug possession. When the officers came into the home, there were children in residence. Lamar claimed the young children aged four, five, and nine were his.

Nosy Neighbors

With some of the funds now available to her, Marie decided to purchase several houses. One of the homes she bought was a beautiful sprawling mansion in her hometown of Northern Carolina. She moved in with her boyfriend and children in the mostly white neighborhood.

This soon proved to be a bad idea; the residents of the mostly white-occupied area were suspicious of Marie's family and would openly harass them. When interviewed by the Daily Mail, Lamar stated that one of their neighbors set up a camera to watch their every move. According to some reports, the area is known for racism.

Marie Lavishes Lamar With Gifts

Before going to jail in 2014, Lamar was reportedly only worth $120, but, after being released from jail his fortunes quickly turned around owing to his girlfriend’s generosity. To possibly keep him out of trouble with the law, Marie set up an auto repair shop for Lamar worth $600K.

She also bought him other lavish gifts; including a $250K modified Chevrolet Stingray, outfits and jewelry worth over $100K, and other expensive purchases. Everything was kept in Marie's name, she did not buy anything in her boyfriend's name; perhaps she was smart enough to protect herself. Unfortunately, even her generosity couldn’t keep the troubled Lamar out of jail.

Money Can’t Buy Love or Loyalty

If there is one thing about a man who lacks morals, he lacks scruples all around, not just in one area of his life. One would think that Lamar would love and respect his partner for all the generosity and loyalty she had shown him, but that would be false.

According to reports that came up, the drug trafficker was having affairs with multiple women. One of the women even posted on Facebook, alleging that Lamar was not being faithful to his fiancé. He was using the money that he was being given by Marie to entertain and keep other women.

Lamar Goes Back Behind Bars

Lamar had not left behind his law-breaking ways. He was still a criminal, even after his girlfriend spent a huge chunk of her winnings, amounting to $21 million, to bail him out of jail. What is shocking to observers is the fact that she kept bailing him out, even after he proved himself to be extremely untrustworthy.

This time, his charges were conspiracy to distribute heroin, and he would serve seven years behind bars. This time, however, there would be no bail money. Due to her family’s and the public shock towards Marie’s behavior, she eventually decided to seek help.

Marie Appears On "Iyanla, Fix My Life"

“Iyanla, Fix My Life” was a popular reality television show on the Oprah Winfrey Network that aired from June 2012 to March 2021. It was hosted by Iyanla Vanzant, who is a relationship expert, life coach, and Yoruba priestess—just what Marie needed. The show features Vanzant helping people solve their various relationship and life problems.

Marie appeared on the show in 2016 with Iyanla trying to help her and her boyfriend Lamar make better life choices. In the season that she appeared, Marie was one of eight women who were invited on the show to help them align with their better selves.

Iyanla Attempts To Get Through To Marie

Iyanla specializes in personal development and helping women overcome personal struggles. Fans and critics sometimes question her methods, but overall they seem to work for those willing to put in the effort. Viewers have seen her having breakthroughs with some of her guests.

When she first drove into Marie's home, the first thing she noticed was that the home used to be a plantation. She immediately pointed this out to Marie and explained to her that places have energy and that energy seeps into our very being and affects how we feel. Marie seemed to be very unaware of her surroundings.

Marie Gets Much Needed Help

One peculiar thing that Iyanla noticed was the unkempt state of the mansion. According to her, the estate that Marie now occupied needed impeccable upkeep and required someone with a good head on their shoulders, something that Marie did not appear to possess. However, the priestess needed to talk to her mother to get to the root of the problem.

While being interviewed, Marie’s mom, Fontella, revealed that she was the one who had won the lottery. She had carefully picked out the numbers, and they represented her son’s birthday, who had passed away. A stunned Marie couldn’t believe that her mother had done such a selfless act for her.

Was It Possible For Her To Turn Her Life Around?

While watching the “Iyanla, Fix My Life” episode that Marie featured in, what stands out is how detached she seemed from reality. The host explained that her story was quite similar to her own; she had also suddenly come from poverty to wealth. She further explained how this fact could lead to more problems rather than a better life.

She later explained to the new millionaire that wealth is not what she had in the bank; it is a state of mind. Marie seemed to absorb it all quietly and was very willing to make the necessary changes to get her life in order.

“Hot Sauce” Comes Back To The Picture

According to reports, Marie and Lamar eventually ended their relationship, but this did not stop him from feeling entitled to her property. The man who she bailed out four times from prison was now suing her from behind bars.

“Hot Sauce” had given his then fiancé the power of attorney. Therefore, she had the authority to store and maintain his personal property while he was away. When she started dating someone new, she gave him everything she had previously bought for her ex. When Lamar found out from a family member that his property was now gone, he wanted it back.

Lamar Wants His Properties Back

According to the lawsuit, Lamar was accusing Marie of breaching her duties as his attorney by giving away his 77-acre dirt bike track, his auto repair business, and his outfits and jewelry worth over $100K. In court filings, the lotto winner stated that the items had never belonged to Lamar. Everything she had given him was still in her name.

The lawsuit claims that Marie did not act fairly or honestly and even if the gifts were never in his name, she had still bought them for him. Lamar was seeking compensation damages from Marie for up to $50K in attorney’s fees, tax interest, and other costs.

The Marie Holmes Foundation

Not all stories have happy endings, but this one is the exception. Marie managed to start the foundation that she wanted. With the help of her aunt Carmel Wheaton, she established the Marie Holmes Foundation by investing $9.7 million in 2015. The two women agreed that seemed to work out for the best.

Ever since then, her winnings have been helping those in need. The foundation is focused on poor families who cannot afford school supplies, toys, and other essential items. Marie may have made mistakes at the beginning of her win, but she seems to have made some right moves.

How Do Foundations Work?

Foundations are charitable organizations that can either be funded privately by individuals or by a single organization. Some foundations are public charities and are funded by communities for the benefit of the public. When charities are private, they face more restrictions than publicly funded ones.

These private entities are required by law to give five percent of their total assets as charitable grants and other charity activities. These companies generally do not pay taxes; however, this differs from state to state. In recognition of their willingness to act voluntarily for the benefit of the less fortunate, it is agreed that they don't need to also support the government by paying taxes.

A Cautionary Tale For Future Lottery Winners

Marie's story is the perfect example of having too much and not knowing what to do with it. Unfortunately, this happens all the time, even to other lottery winners. There are numerous lists on the internet with other winners with similar stories. This phenomenon even has a name, "The Lottery Curse."

According to Business Insider, William Post won $16 million in the lottery in 1988 but was in debt nearly a year later, and allegedly his brother put a hit on him. To be safe, having a good support system is paramount if you're ever lucky enough to hit the jackpot.