$167M Powerball Winner Back in Trouble After Latest Arrest

You might expect a man who won millions in a jackpot to be holidaying somewhere peaceful. Instead, James Shannon Farthing, who won $167 million in a Powerball jackpot in April of 2025, has been arrested twice since his win.

The 50-year-old Kentucky man was taken into custody on February 11 by the Scott County Sheriff’s Department on allegations of intimidating a participant in a legal process, the Louisville Courier Journal reported.

An unnamed Lexington woman contacted authorities after a scheduled meeting with Farthing, saying she felt pressured to take a “gummy” and was unsure what the product contained, according to the outlet. She also told officials she feared people at a Georgetown home wanted to harm her, as per an arrest citation.

Deputies who responded to the residence reportedly found a firearm and ammunition on Farthing’s bedside table, according to Courier Journal. The woman was later admitted to a hospital because of her intoxicated state.

Authorities confiscated Farthing’s phone after the victim showed texts she received from him. “Why would you do this to me unreal id never hurt you (sic),” one of the texts read.

Farthing reportedly told officers that the woman was “perfectly fine” before she disappeared and said he sent her multiple messages in an attempt to find her.

However, Farthing was arrested without incident on charges of attempting to influence the opinion of the woman “by means of harassing communications”. The jackpot winner’s bond was set at 5,000 dollars cash, and he is not allowed to communicate with the victim again.

The jackpot winner quickly became a meme on social media. Following his second arrest, one user joked in the comments on his arrest post, “He can bail himself out lol (sic),” while another quipped, “He really said, ‘I’ll buy a new crime.’”

Others were more critical. “Why are the brainless winning? I’d just go into hiding—no flashy lifestyle, no chaos, no trouble. Just peace, away from people and traffic, no boss, no alarm clock. But these people always find a way to mess it all up,” one user wrote.

Farthing is scheduled to appear in court for his arraignment on April 2.

On April 27, 2025, Farthing won the Powerball jackpot on a ticket that was sold at Clark’s Pump N Shop in Georgetown. He and his mother, Linda Grizzle, agreed to split the winnings, with the option to receive the $167.3 million over multiple payments or a lump sum payment of $77.3 million.

On April 30, 2025, he was arrested in Florida and held at the Pinellas County Jail.

Farthing was charged with battery, obstruction or resisting arrest, and battery of a law enforcement officer after allegedly kicking a deputy in the face. Battery of a law enforcement officer is a felony offense, while the other charges are classified as misdemeanors, Courier Journal reported.

His previous bond was set at 1,000 dollars.