Jose Rivera, the Latino who said he won a historic Powerball award: Court decides – People – Culture

A judicial dispute over the grand award of Powerball, a multi-jurisdictional lottery widely recognized in the United States, still has a lot to cut. This popular case has faced court Edwin Castro, who was declared the winner of the biggest jackpot in the country’s history, and Jose Rivera, who claims to be the rightful owner of the winning ticket. And that he recently received a surprising response from the court that could be decisive in his fight to get the money.

(More: Powerball: He faints on live show after winning US lottery).

The luxurious life of lottery winner Edwin Castro

It all started in late 2022, when Edwin Castro, then 31 years old, won a lottery prize that raised $2.04 billion. Once he got the money, he became a real estate magnate, as he began acquiring million-dollar mansions in several cities across the country.

One of the most exclusive properties was purchased in the town of Altadena, California, where he lived his entire life. The house is Japanese inspired and has five bedrooms and four bathrooms. It has a fireplace, bonsai trees, a large open kitchen and mountain views. Two of the five bedrooms have been converted into a study and a cinema room.

(More: He won the Powerball lottery, but only kept part of the prize ‘out of friendship’).

However, that was just the beginning. First he bought a US$25.5 million house and He became neighbors with celebrities like Ariana Grande and Jimmy Kimmel living in the Hollywood Hills area. Then, he chose a US $47 million property located in one of the most luxurious neighborhoods in California. The property has seven bedrooms, 11 bathrooms, a koi pond, a DJ room, a wine cellar, a movie theater and an infinity pool overlooking the entire city of Los Angeles.

in parallel, Hispanics also used their fortunes to enjoy luxury vehicles. In September 2023, The sun shared some images of the lottery jackpot winner as he climbed into a vintage 1986 Porsche 911 Targa coupe, which could be worth up to $250,000.

Before becoming a millionaire, Castro studied architecture at Woodbury University in Los Angeles; And, in time, he worked in a modified vintage car workshop in the town of La Crescenta, about 13 kilometers from Altadena.

(Read: He won the Powerball lottery, but broke the store where he bought the ticket).

Surprising court decision for Jose Rivera

Jose Rivera confirmed during 2023 that he is the real winner of the Crorepati Award. From day one, he claimed his winning ticket was stolen, despite the fact that there are security images showing Castro buying the lottery at Joe’s Service Center in Altadena. US Sun.

In the midst of that fight, the man recently received a decision from a judge that could seal his fate. Rivera appeared at a Pasadena courthouse in mid-February wearing an outfit and haircut she had never worn before. He expressed confidence that he could emerge victorious, but the hearing did not go as planned, as he quarreled with his lawyer and fired him before threatening to leave the courtroom.

(See: Is That Your Ticket? Powerball Lottery Warns There Are Many Large Unclaimed Prizes).

Until then it seemed like a purely professional issue that could be resolved in a few minutes, but Judge Donna Hollingsworth’s decision added up. As the lawyer began to explain to the magistrate that Rivera wanted him fired. Seeing him disappointed, she asked the audience to leave the room so they could talk in private. Once the hearing resumed, Hollingsworth announced that the case had been suspended and moved to another court, where it would be heard on March 5..

For her part, Rivera wanted the magistrate to ask for more time to get a new defense, but she refused and He was ordered to undergo a mental health examination. The above is not the only trial in the case: Rivera is still suing Castro in civil court.

La Nación / Argentina (America newspaper group)

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