Juan Rodriguez

Colombian-born American lottery winner, he won a $149 million mega millions jackpot on November 19, 2004 becoming the biggest winner in New York State Lottery history. The Queens, NY resident took the lump sum payment of $88.5 million that will amount to about $35-40 million after taxes. As a parking attendant he was earning about $28,000 per year, and he was in debt to the tune of $44,000. His wife had left him briefly because of his inability to handle money On October 17, 2004, with just $50 in cash and about $2,600 in assets that included his furniture and household goods, he had filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection. Among his debts, mainly to credit card companies, he owed $2, 279 to the Internal Revenue Service and was paying $1,300 per month in rent. At the time of his win, he had just 78 cents in the bank. Rodriguez had moved to the United States from Colombia in 1982 and became a permanent resident just four years later. He had been working at the same East Side garage for twenty years, and he bought the ticket on the evening of his big win during a break in his overnight double shift. Just days after his win, his wife Iris filed for divorce, ending their 17-year marriage. They have one daughter.