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Lottery winners broke, busted
Insider Buzz: Lottery winners broke, busted
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For someone who struck it rich, William Rivenburgh had fairly modest plans about how to spend his lottery winnings three years ago:
Pay off debts, make home repairs and possibly take a family trip to Disney World. Whether any of those things happened is unclear.
What is clear is that the money Rivenburgh has gotten so far from the $1 million scratch-off ticket he won in 2006 seems to have evaporated. He doesn't have enough money to make $5,000 bail after he was arrested May 25 for alleged drug dealing.
Caught up in the same investigation, his wife, Alissia, 33, is also being held at the Schenectady County jail on $10,000 bail.
They are charged with one count each of criminal sale of a controlled substance and criminal possession of a controlled substance, both felonies. The Rivenburghs were arraigned June 17 and returned to court on Monday where they learned a grand jury indicted them. The indictment has not been handed up.
Court papers show the husband and wife allegedly made a $50 cocaine deal at their second-floor apartment at 99 Odell St. in the Central State Street neighborhood. The ordeal is far different than the joyous day they had Nov. 14, 2006, when state Lottery officials in Schenectady hosted the couple at a news conference to announce their win.
"I kept looking at it," William Rivenburgh told the Times Union at the time he won. "I didn't believe it at first."
Back then, he earned about $50,000 a year as a security guard for Entergy Northeast Nuclear. He was slated to receive 20 annual payments of $50,000 before taxes.
At the time, they were also raising four young children — two nephews, a niece and one of their own.
The couple married on Valentine's Day 2004, just before he was deployed to Kuwait for 10 months.
Times Union
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22 comments. Last comment 4 months ago by .
Kunming China Member #58390 January 23, 2008 1438 Posts Offline |
| Posted: June 25, 2009, 2:03 am - IP Logged |
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Don't blame it on the Lottery! It's not "the lottery curse". They were into drugs before they won the lottery. Some people get a chance in a lifetime and blow it! I have no sympathy for them or pity. Let this be a lesson to one and all. "WE WANT NOTHING LESS THAN A JACKPOT"
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ky United States Member #38179 April 19, 2006 81 Posts Offline |
| Posted: June 25, 2009, 4:26 am - IP Logged |
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Stupid people
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United States Member #52818 May 21, 2007 383 Posts Offline |
| Posted: June 25, 2009, 6:32 am - IP Logged |
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Don't blame it on the Lottery! It's not "the lottery curse". They were into drugs before they won the lottery. Some people get a chance in a lifetime and blow it! I have no sympathy for them or pity. Let this be a lesson to one and all.  I wasn't gonna say a word till U put that up
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United States
Member #66424
October 10, 2008
14 Posts
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| Posted: June 25, 2009, 8:52 am - IP Logged |
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Guilty by Lotto... hahaha
it's not the lottery's fault, it's the fault of the people who seem to win the lottery. It's less so a curse then it is personal susceptability...
Look at all the other Millionaires in the world, they don't seem to squander their fortunes in a year or 2.
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New Jersey United States Member #18150 June 28, 2005 14522 Posts Offline |
| Posted: June 25, 2009, 10:00 am - IP Logged |
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An intervention can help people who struggle with a variety of mental health conditions and addictive behaviors but who are in denial about their situation or refuse treatment.
Some indications that a person one may benefit from an intervention include:
- Health problems because of the addiction or other disorder
- The person harms or threatens family, friends or strangers
- The persons Children are neglected or abused
- Job loss
- Financial problems
- Homelessness
- Risk of suicide or self-harm
- Driving under the influence
- Loss or alienation of friends
- Compulsive gambling
- Legal problems or criminal activity
- Previous unsuccessful attempts at treatment
An intervention is an organized, planned process in which family and friends, and sometimes colleagues and clergy or faith leaders, join together in a meeting to compassionately confront a person in an effort to encourage him or her to seek treatment for alcoholism, addiction or another mental health problem. A mind once stretched by a new idea never returns to its original dimensions!
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Massachusetts United States Member #37842 April 14, 2006 121 Posts Offline |
| Posted: June 25, 2009, 4:30 pm - IP Logged |
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I thought NY pays annuities for scratchoff jackpots? If I'm correct then how can the brother be broke and the annuities go on for like 20 years?
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Clarksville United States Member #489 July 15, 2002 9125 Posts Offline |
| Posted: June 25, 2009, 4:34 pm - IP Logged |
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I thought NY pays annuities for scratchoff jackpots? If I'm correct then how can the brother be broke and the annuities go on for like 20 years? Maybe he sold it to one of those rip off companies that buy annuities. It takes Everyone's input to HIT the number..all are equally important.
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New Member  Chattanooga, TN United States Member #74705 May 5, 2009 14 Posts Offline |
| Posted: June 26, 2009, 12:38 am - IP Logged |
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i hate these stories... i just can't stand them. anyone that is blessed like this and blows it. it makes you think why would God give them this money? they tell the good ones too... BUT like all news their are more bad ones than good ones!!! i hope that when i win big that i will end up with more money than what i won... and not in some gutter or jail... let this be a lesson to anyone who wins in the future!
The key to keeping riches is to hold on to what you have don't go crazy and give when God tells you to give and he will bless you even more!
"That is just my belief"
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New Member United States Member #76895 June 26, 2009 1 Posts Offline |
| Posted: June 26, 2009, 12:49 am - IP Logged |
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Walking out of the store with a lottery ticket in your hand - Ecstatic
Finding out that the ticket just won you a bunch of money - Catatonic
Not having a plan in place to set you and your family up for life - Idiotic
As I always tell my friends, I already have a plan, I just need the money for the plan to go into effect.
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Nassau Bahamas Member #53115 June 2, 2007 576 Posts Offline |
| Posted: June 26, 2009, 10:10 am - IP Logged |
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Fools, Fools, <snip> Fools..............always remember to keep something for rainy days. but guess what money in the hand of fools dont last. Wish them luck
This post has been automatically changed by the Lottery Post computer system to remove inappropriate content and/or spam. MONEY IS POWER! $$$$ WIDE RECEIVER!!
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charlotte, north carolina United States Member #65783 September 22, 2008 775 Posts Offline |
| Posted: June 26, 2009, 11:11 am - IP Logged |
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OH WELL, some people don't need to get that sum of money!
I hope the couple brought SOMETHING to show for all that money!
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New Member Chattanooga, TN United States Member #74705 May 5, 2009 14 Posts Offline |
| Posted: June 26, 2009, 3:32 pm - IP Logged |
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Walking out of the store with a lottery ticket in your hand - Ecstatic
Finding out that the ticket just won you a bunch of money - Catatonic
Not having a plan in place to set you and your family up for life - Idiotic
As I always tell my friends, I already have a plan, I just need the money for the plan to go into effect. 
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Pennsylvania United States Member #17377 June 10, 2005 1285 Posts Offline |
| Posted: June 26, 2009, 6:30 pm - IP Logged |
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Love the adult answers or opinions verses those made from less then matured individuals.
One can judge a circumstance, yet not JUDGE the persons. There in lays the difference between being an adult and remaining neutral.
I prefered the commentary about intervention, informative without casting stones.
I lost money in the stock market and I can assure folks that it was a FOOLISH RISK and one that I will not endure again. But that doesnt make my being a FOOL. Big difference. One day your life will flash before your eyes, make sure its one worth watching.
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North Carolina United States Member #65081 September 1, 2008 70 Posts Offline |
| Posted: June 26, 2009, 7:13 pm - IP Logged |
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It says they tried to make a deal at their "apartment". That's different from the "home repairs" he mentioned, meaning at one time they had a house.
As for money for bail, maybe they haven't received their payment yet this year?
What worries me is the fact they don't mention his job. Did he quit? Was he fired? Maybe he was laid off? $50,000 before taxes doesn't cover a lot. He still needed that job.
What about the kids? If they are both in jail, where are the 4 kids?
There are too many questions here and not enough answers.
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