UK National Lottery: UK Lottery Winner Nearly Broke
A former dustman who won a £9.7 million (US$17 million) Lottery jackpot has reportedly spent almost his entire fortune within 18 months on extravagant houses, cars and gold "bling" jewellery.
Michael Carroll, 21, who was recently convicted of cocaine possession, has only £500,000 left, it is claimed.
He has bought four homes, a holiday villa in Spain, two convertible BMW cars, quad bikes and a stake in a football club. Sources close to him claim Carroll has also wasted "untold thousands" on alcohol and partying.
He now faces being penniless within weeks unless he controls his spending.
One source close to him said: "He has haemorrhaged cash - and a lot of it went on drugs and booze at his house. Everybody wanted to be Mickey's mate when he was rich. It'll be interesting to see how many stick around when he hits the buffers soon."
Carroll won the fortune with his first National Lottery ticket and immediately splashed out on friends and family.
He bought two £1million houses - one for his mother Kim and another for his uncle and aunt - and a £200,000 Spanish villa. He then moved into a £400,000 house in Swaffham, Norfolk, and had a £90,000 indoor pool installed.
At the back of the property Carroll set up a racetrack. Friends believe he spent up to £100,000 buying quad bikes and old cars to wreck in demolition derby races.
He has recently put the house on the market and moved to a £300,000 bungalow at nearby Downham Market.
A soccer fan, Carroll invested £1 million in Glasgow Rangers and was rarely seen without gold chains and a ring on every finger.
Since winning the jackpot in November 2002, Carroll has also spent thousands on legal costs and court appearances.
At the time of winning the Lottery, he was wearing an electronic tag for being drunk and disorderly. He also got four months in jail in 2002 for criminal damage, driving while disqualified and aggravated vehicle taking.
In April last year Carroll was caught riding a moped while disqualified, banned from driving for four months and ordered to do community service.
Last summer he was fined £12,000 for claiming dole while working as a dustman before he won the Lottery.
In March he escaped a jail sentence and was given a 12-month drug testing and treatment order for possessing more than £1,000 worth of cocaine.
Carroll claimed he turned to drugs after wife Sandra, 21, walked out taking their 12-month-old daughter Brooke with her last September.
Last month he was fined £1,650 for further motoring offences.
Henry Bellingham, a local Conservative MP, said Carroll's life of excess was a sad waste.
He told the Sun: "Michael Carroll is grossly irresponsible because winning the Lottery isn't just someone's right, it is a massive privilege.
"With that privilege comes responsibility. It is sad, a case of someone using the Lottery to cause misery rather than improve their life."