Whittaker's Woes

It's been nearly five years since Jack Whittaker hit the then-record Powerball jackpot. But the West Virginia contractor has become as known for what has befallen him since as when he gained national headlines for that Christmas 2002 win.

Whittaker recently shared his story with The Associated Press' Shaya Tayefe Mohajer.

"His wife left him and his drug-addicted granddaughter -- his protege and heir -- died. He endured constant requests for money," she writes. "Almost five years later, Whittaker is left with things money can't cure: His daughter's cancer, a long list of indiscretions documented in newspapers and court records, and an inability to trust others."

AP also offers a Q&A from the Whittaker interview.

Update: The AP interview with Tayefe Mohajer coincides with the settlement of one of several legal cases involving Whittaker, this one dealing with $49,000 worth of allegedly forged checks, the Charleston Daily Mail reports.