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Details of lottery winner kin's death still sketchyNews Story
The 17-year-old granddaughter of the nation's largest lottery winner was found dead near her boyfriend's home, her body wrapped in a sheet and plastic tarp. Brandi Bragg, who lived in the nearby town of Hurricane, was last seen alive Dec. 4. She was reported missing five days later by Jack Whittaker, who won a $314.9 million jackpot on Christmas Day 2002 but has battled legal and other problems since then.The cause of death was under investigation. Authorities said there were no obvious signs o
Dec 21, 2004, 10:51 am - Lottery News

Record Powerball lottery winner's granddaughter found deadNews Story
The body of record Powerball winner Jack Whittaker's 17-year-old granddaughter was found Monday in a rural area in western West Virginia, State Police said.Brandi Bragg's body was tentatively identified based on tattoos on her neck, said State Police Sgt. Jay Powers. The troopers (at the scene) had talked to her in the past and knew her, Powers said.State Police found the body behind a junked vehicle in a grassy area on Scary Creek Road outside Scott Depot in Putnam County, across the road from
Dec 20, 2004, 5:43 pm - Lottery News

Powerball Jackpot Jumps to $30 MillionNews Story
There were no Powerball jackpot winners Saturday but 406,997 players across the nation won a total of more than $3.4 million in prizes in America's Game.Because no one correctly matched all six numbers in Saturday's drawing the jackpot will grow to an estimated $30 million.The cash option for the Wednesday, December 22 drawing will be an estimated $16.5 million.The numbers drawn were: 1, 25, 29, 30, 45 and the Powerball was 12. The Power Play multiplier was 3.Three players correctly matched the
Dec 20, 2004, 8:42 am - Lottery News

Record Powerball lottery winner's life a mess after big winNews Story
The worlds first glimpse of Jack Whittaker, winner of the richest undivided lottery jackpot in U.S. history, was of a boisterous, happy-go-lucky guy in a big cowboy hat who loved his family, work and God and promised to share his good fortune with the church and the poor.Two years later, the picture the public is seeing now is a mug shot of a haggard, somber Whittaker.Whittaker, 57, has been arrested twice on charges of drunken driving in the past year and has been ordered to go into rehab by Ja
Dec 14, 2004, 1:16 pm - Lottery News

Record Powerball Lottery Winner's Granddaughter MissingNews Story
Record Powerball winner Jack Whittaker has reported his 17-year-old granddaughter missing, police said late Thursday. Family members had not seen or heard from Brandi Lasha Bragg since 9 p.m. Saturday when she was at her Hurricane home, Putnam County Sheriff's Sgt. Lisa Arthur said. At this time we're treating this as an unusual disappearance, Arthur said. Normally someone would see her at least on a daily basis, someone in the family. Arthur said Whittaker reported Bragg missing sometime this
Dec 10, 2004, 10:01 am - Lottery News

Penn. store that sold winning Powerball lottery ticket identifiedNews Story
When Russell DeMatteo got the 3 a.m. call Thursday from New Castle police, he thought his Lawrence County convenience store had been robbed.Instead, he found Pennsylvania Lottery officials at Country Food Mart waiting to tell him that the store had sold the winning $171.4 million Powerball ticket. DeMatteo will collect $100,000 -- once a winner comes forward, or within 90 days. I certainly didn't expect this, said DeMatteo, 23. Lottery (officials) wanted me to come and meet them immediately. I
Dec 10, 2004, 9:59 am - Lottery News

Winning Powerball lottery ticket sold in PennsylvaniaNews Story
A Powerball ticket that could pay $171.4 million over 29 years was sold in Pennsylvania, lottery officials said.The Pennsylvania Lottery did not say early Thursday where in Pennsylvania the ticket had been sold.The winner has 60 days from the date of claiming the prize to decide whether to take the $171.4 million annuity paid over 29 years or a lump sum of $93,428,155.06, Pennsylvania Lottery officials said.Tickets that match the first five numbers, but miss the Powerball, win $100,000 each, and
Dec 9, 2004, 8:14 am - Lottery News

Record Powerball lottery winner ordered into substance abuse programNews Story
A man who won a nearly $315 million Powerball lottery -- the largest single jackpot in history -- was ordered into substance abuse treatment today after his second drunken driving arrest this year.In an agreement with prosecutors, Jack Whittaker, 57, will check himself into rehab by Jan. 2, must surrender his license and may not drive until he provides written proof he's completed the 28-day residential program.Whittaker was charged with drunken driving last week, violating his $150 bond for a s
Dec 8, 2004, 1:07 pm - Lottery News

Powerball Jackpot 10th Largest Ever at $171 MillionNews Story
Next Wednesday's Powerball jackpot will be the 10th largest ever in the history of America's favorite game. There were no Powerball jackpot winners Saturday but an incredible 1,021,839 prizes were paid out for a total of more than $10.2 million worth of winnings.Because no one correctly matched all six numbers in Saturday's drawing the jackpot will grow to an estimated $171 million.The cash option for the Wednesday, December 8 drawing will be an estimated $93.3 million.The numbers drawn were: 6,
Dec 6, 2004, 8:29 am - Lottery News

Record Powerball winner arrestedNews Story
A West Virginia man who won a record $315 million in the Powerball lottery was arrested on charges of drunken driving and carrying a pistol, authorities said.Jack Whittaker, 57, was jailed Tuesday night after his Hummer struck a concrete median near Beckley.Senior Trooper M.J. Pinardo reported that he smelled alcohol, but Whittaker refused sobriety tests and was extremely belligerent. Troopers also said he was carrying a small pistol in a boot and $117,000 in cash.He was released after he was
Dec 6, 2004, 8:01 am - Lottery News