POWERBALL millionaire Edwin Castro is riding fast and furious as he celebrates his 33rd birthday.
Castro became a billionaire overnight in 2022 after winning the biggest lottery ever in the United States.
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In November 2022, the former mechanic discovered he was the sole winner of the $2.04 billion Powerball.
When Castro won, he had a choice: receive half of his winnings in one lump sum or receive all of his winnings in payments spread out over several years.
The California resident opted to receive his payment in one lump sum, leaving him with a fortune of $997.6 million.
After taxes, he kept $628.5 million of his earnings.
READ MORE ABOUT EDWIN CASTRO
The birthday boy had no trouble thinking of ways to spend his millions.
Castro’s love for classic cars is apparent after the millionaire was seen cruising Cali in an impressive array of vehicles.
He was spotted driving a 1980s black 911 Turbo Coupe worth an estimated $135,491 and a 1970s vintage green Porsche 911 SC believed to be worth around $50,000.
In February, associates of Castro were seen testing a Ferrari that the millionaire had his eye on.
A few months after hitting the jackpot, Castro splurged on two luxurious homes in California.
Since winning, he has purchased a Hollywood Hills mansion for $25 million and a bachelor pad for $4 million.
The 13,500-square-foot mansion features a game room, wine cellar, movie theater, bar and luxurious fitness center.
And the bachelor pad features Japanese-inspired architecture, a cinema, a saltwater pool and a fireplace.
Her new neighbors include Ariana Grande, Dakota Johnson and Jimmy Kimmel.
Castro’s new lifestyle is definitely a change from the one-bedroom apartment he lived in before.
Edwin Castro Powerball Winning Timeline
When and why Castro was prosecuted
On November 7, 2022, Castro purchased a winning Powerball ticket at Joe’s Service Center in Altadena, California.
The grand prize was $2.04 billion at the time – the largest in US history.
On February 14, 2023, the California Lottery announced Castro’s win, and he took home a one-time payment of $997.6 million.
Castro’s identity was disclosed, but little information was known about the former mechanic.
In May 2023, Jose Rivera, a California gardener, filed a lawsuit claiming he was the rightful owner of the golden ticket.
Rivera claimed that its former owner Urachi F. Romero stole the ticket before it ended up in Castro’s hands.
Since filing the lawsuit, Rivera has been accused of filing a false police report and was ordered to undergo a psychiatric evaluation by a judge.
However, Rivera pleaded not guilty to the charge, passed the evaluation and continues to defend his story.
However, everything could be wiped out if he loses a legal battle he is involved in.
Jose Rivera, a California resident, claimed that Castro stole the winning lottery ticket from him.
Rivera, 49, previously told The US Sun that he allegedly purchased the $20 ticket with a mix of numbers he chose, along with Quick Pick lines, all printed on the same ticket.
He claimed he signed his name on the back of the ticket and wrote down his sister’s address in Pasadena to help validate the ticket.
“I signed my name,” Rivera told The US Sun.
He correctly said that the winning numbers were on “line six or seven” of his ticket.
Castro’s winning ticket was shown to The US Sun and did not include any signature or address and was left blank.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
