Winning Bad 😅

John Eric Spiby, a 80 year old British person, won the lottery a couple of years ago. His winnings were good for £2.4 million (around 4,8 million euros). Unlike people that just waste it all, John had a great plan of reinvesting his money by starting a family business. Now, a couple of years later, John is convicted for 16 years of jailtime and his son got 9 years, because the family business consisted on fabricating drugs illegaly. Apperently, he did collect 335 million euros in profits. 😅

SOURCE: https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2026/01/29/80-jarige-man-uk-lotto-drugs/

(Original Source is "The Guardian", but I can't access the article from where I live)

Top | New | Old

ninalanyon · 61-69, T

Here's the Guardian link for those who can access it

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/jan/29/wigan-lottery-winner-counterfeit-drugs-empire-court

The Guardian article is rather unclear. It says counterfeit pills but then also says tablets disguised as diazepam. So what was in those pills?

FreddieUK · 70-79, M

It was a clever way of avoiding the care home fees.

SunshineGirl · 36-40, F

Going into crime/remaining in crime when you've just been handed a £2.4m tax free lump sum is not the brightest business strategy ever 🤔

Kwek00 · 41-45, M

@SunshineGirl But he needs to pay for those medicine... high blood pressure, it make you rethink some of your life choices girl... it's hard. 👫

SunshineGirl · 36-40, F

@Kwek00 For an 80 year old Brit, all prescription medecine is supplied free of charge. No need to make fake pills 🤷‍♀

Kwek00 · 41-45, M

@SunshineGirl 335 million in profits though... that's better then Donald Trumps' casino's ever did.

H1raeth · 36-40, M

He's been watching too much Breaking Bad.

TheDeathOCuHullainn

Step aside Walter White

Kwek00 · 41-45, M

@TheDeathOCuHullainn I'm glad John doesn't have cancer... he just had the bad luck of winning the lottery jackpot.

TheDeathOCuHullainn

@Kwek00 i know, poor fella. Hows a man meant to survive on 2.4 mill in this day and age

whowasthatmaskedman · 70-79, M

@TheDeathOCuHullainn I can remember when that was a lot of money..😷

Add a comment...