Man previously under fire for claiming welfare benefits after lottery win
BAY CITY, Mich. — A Williams Township, Michigan, man who had nearly $1 million in cash two years ago and is now destitute and charged with four firearm-related felonies is set to accept a plea deal in Bay County Circuit Court.
Leroy N. Fick, 60, is scheduled to make his plea before Circuit Judge Kenneth W. Schmidt at 8:30 a.m. on Sept. 4. Court records show that prosecutors have offered to dismiss two counts of felony firearm if Fick pleads guilty or no contest to single counts of felon in possession of a firearm and larceny of a firearm.
Both of the charges Fick could plead to are felonies punishable by up to five years in prison. Prosecutors have agreed not to seek an enhanced sentencing for Fick as a habitual offender, court records show.
The charges stem from Fick allegedly stealing several rifles and shotguns from his mother's Williams Township home, then hocking them at an area pawn shop. Fick's brother reported the theft in March and Fick was arraigned in June.
When Bay County Sheriff's deputies questioned Fick about the crime, he told them stole then sold the guns for cash to keep his electricity on, police reports show.
Fick in June 2010 won close to $2 million in the state's Make Me Rich! lottery. He took a lump, post-tax sum of $998,570 and appeared alongside adult son Jeffery Fick on the TLC show "Lottery Changed My Life."
The elder Fick later found himself in the center of controversy when he admitted he continued using his Bridge Card after winning the lottery.
Fick's actions inspired legislators to fashion a new law requiring the Michigan Lottery to notify the Department of Human Services of the name and other information of a winner of a prize of $1,000 or more. DHS is then to apply an asset test when determining eligibility of an individual for food aid, with gambling winnings factored into the asset total.
Gov. Rick Snyder signed the bills into law in April.
In January, Fick pleaded guilty to a felony charge of illegal possession of a prescription painkiller in Isabella County Circuit Court, for which he served 45 days in jail. Upon his release, he appeared in Bay County District Court and pleaded guilty to three counts of illegal possession of fireworks, three counts of operating a motor vehicle on a restricted license and single counts of operating a motor vehicle on a restricted license, second offense, allowing an unlicensed person to drive and driving 97 mph in a 55 mph zone.
Judge Dawn A. Klida gave Fick credit for time served, but also placed him on probation.
By the time he pleaded in Isabella County, Fick had squandered his fortune and was living what his attorney John Wilson described as a hand-to-mouth existence. Fick spent his winnings on building a new house on the site of his previous home, a brand new Chevrolet Camaro, large amounts of fireworks and ill-advised investments recommended to him by his relatives and friends, Wilson said.
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He can team up with Amanda Clayton, they can have a weekly show called
" HOW TO SCAM THE SYSTEM"
This close to "retirement" age and no financial plannning. He could have been set with careful budgeting and wise investing. Never let friends and family do your financial investing.
Stealing from his own mother!How low can you get?Its too darn late to abort this waste of life.
With all the thousands of welfare recipients, turned lottery winners, turned welfare cheats.....they should start their own welfare scamming club!
What goes around ,comes around. You cheat you'll get cheated.What goes up will come back down.Bad boys ,bad boys what ya gonna do when they come for you..
I think they should pass a bill / law ,......if your not current on any of your bills , and you win big ,.........you have to become current to collect your prize by setting aside enough to cover your delinquency.And all government and state programs your on are terminated . Then go blow it.
Where's his loser son now that the money is gone. Can't even help his dad pay the electric.
I would say, "Don't let unlicensed friend or family handle your investments. "
What were all of the fireworks for? He must be a little on the slow side.
This 'gentleman' is a poster-child for why the Lotteries should WANT anonymous winners. The failures, while making good copy, really show the down side of a lottery win... and make the 'winning' part look WAY not so glamorous.
I was thinking the same thing. He spent thousands on illegal fireworks, and received numerous fines for this juvenile behavior.
Must be some obsession, or just hasn't moved on from his teen fantasy's. Or as you say just a little slow.
This guy looks familiar... if I'm not mistaken, he was on "Lottery Changed My Life", as a "millionaire bachelor". I seem to remember his fast talking slick "Mr. hip hop" son who said such stupidities as "Who can you trust? ME! That's who; me!" to his dad when on camera...
YIKES!
That was him! Of course his drug addict son is nowhere to be found, now the dad is in the poor house.
American Greed Special
'Lottery Scammers'
This sort of thing shows the decline of america values in action. Here are two videos that show the riff
taking place. Choose your video, you can't be both.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6TcpfBHlbs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwEhBlabaV8&feature=related
RL
Very sad story but I knew he'd be broke within a few years. His son was spending dad's money while storing items that he was claiming to open a pawn shop with in a cheap motel. You can't buy class or smarts, both father and son are loosers.
if your mother named you leroy you would want to spend your whole life trying to get even with her too. some sixty years ago she had a baby boy and decided to name him leroy thus marking him for life. didn't she know the ramifications of that name would haunt him forever, especially in his formative years.
He's his own worst enemy.
If there's a silver lining to this story it's this -- Fick will be in jail on election day so he won't be able to vote.
Thank God for small favors.
Probably still in jail for carjacking an elderly man.
Leroy likes to go to the reservation in Mount Pleasant to buy fireworks, he also liked illegally obtained painkillers.
I'm trying to wrap my brain around this. Almost $1,000,000 in winnings and now it's GONE, in two short years?
I recall the lottery show that highlighted Mr Fick and was dumbfounded at the arrogance and stupidity of the both of them, father and son. Does Mr Fick, at the least, still have the home he had built or was he forced to sell it?
My guess is Mr Fick and Son will go down in the annals of lottery winners in the same breath as David Lee Edwards and Jack Whittaker.
His dumbassed son sure did help blow the cash. I have never seen a parasite like this guys son. Totally stupid and willing to show and tell the world just how dumb he is. I feel sorry for the elder Fick and family, but a little education and common sense goes a long way.
As a Vietnam veteran I hope this loser would cease wearing a Vietnam veteran's hat.
He is a disgrace to whatever service branch her served.
He probably gets his medical care at the VA using resourses that should be used by people who care.
I was going to mention that observation yesterday, but I didn't want to offend any vets out there.
His picture was probably taken while in the courtroom, which is why he probably wore it at the time, to evoke some sympathy from the judge.
Here is a clip of Leroy Fick and his son. I enjoyed the scene where he damaged his new Camaro before leaving the dealership. His windfall could have easily subsidized a grounded and comfortable lifestyle.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcg-BCbmYJ8
The Judge saw right through his ploy and offered no sympathy when she sentenced him.
I saw the tv program they were on and instantly knew that we would hear more from these two. The son was blowing cash like it was
Christmas everyday! And how bright can you be when you are buying all this stuff at pawn shops and then storing it in a motel room so
he could "start a business reselling his collectibles"
If there was a tv show called "Worlds dumbest lotter winners", these two would be the perfect candidates!
I felt bad for the father. Absolutely no doubt he lacked intelligence but throw in a manipulating son and that was a recipe for disaster. If he had a sensible and practical wife/girlfriend, this would have played out quite differently as she most likely would have fended off his rabid son.
Any woman who would live with that LOSER would also be a LOSER?
just goes to show you have to be really really really lucky to win lottto, but good ole plain stupid is enoughto lose it.
favorite sons quote " Im a collector of very fines items. And now my dad has won the lotto I have the funds to buy them. "
Does it surprise you that 7 out if the last 10 news topics on LP are about Lottery people facing charges?
It has become easier for people to lie, cheat and steal.
Ted Nugent said it best..."The only things you need to succeed in this country is a dream, dedicated work ethic and an alarm clock.
When the actions of these malcontents cross the line and infringe on others it has become way to easy to just call people haters and racists, anotherwards, it's okay to do something wrong because the people who are fed up are just racists and haters.
I can say after watching this fiasco on TLCML that this was not an unexpected turn of events. Sad really.
yeah i kind of feel for the old guy, you could tell he just wanted to make his son happy. Maybe even trusted him to do the right thing by him. he sure didnt seem mean spirited. im thinking the guns he stole, where paid for by him, and he felt like getting some stuff back to pay the power bill.
the facthe was reported to cops prob speaks about the mean spirits of the people who got them as a gift.but then this is mostly speculation on my part.
True. Being "America most eligible bachelor" just shows how far his son went to entice and manipulate his own father. He certainly didn't offer any positive qualities prior to winning.
Anyone he may have met afterwards certainly didn't get attracted to him because of his intelligence or looks.
Hey Jill, thanks for posting the video. I watched it and read with the article from Todd and I felt bad for this man. If I ever win I hope I don't blow it.
You're welcome. You seem like a well grounded individual and I have no doubt you will do well with any kind of windfall.
LOL LOL LOL LOL...Oh my goodness, who didn't see that coming, honestly?
What happened to his son's business, stored at the econolodge? Nothing but the best for the Ficks!!
Goodness, I was having a stinky day, but this at least put a smile on my face!
His brother should drop the charges and possibly help him.
I remember this episode like it was yesterday most of all I remember his son on the show talking about how his dad is letting him spend his winnings for him .I knew it was a matter of time before this happened.
Some times I wonder how come people who abuse with the system, do as the please always get good luck or a slap on the wrist.
So true sully, I remember when I was in undergraduate school working as a manager at a grocery store. I hired a Caucasian woman over an African American woman who worked in another department. To make a long story short the AA woman said I discrimianted against her because of her color. Oh & before any one accuse me of being racist look at my avatar....
And people wonder why i'm a conservative(which I have been since 1986)
I love your avatar, Sorry you had to be put in that situation, People need to grow up.
Yup, that's the guys I thought they were. Not 15 seconds into that video, little mr. slick is already telling his befuddled dad "you can trust me, out of anyone in the world, you can trust ME!". I knew immediately that this would end badly; unfortunately, it turns out that's the case.
What I want to know is, where's little mr. slick, now that he's ripped off & bankrupted his dad? He's a piece of trash; someone needs to do a followup story on him and his self centered greed & arrogance.
<snip>, you say that as if you never heard of that before. People have been stealing from family for years. One of my cousin's use to steal from everyone, including his mother. Parents have stolen from their children. It's not right, but you get over it. Well, most do. Now it's hard when they steal your entire life savings. Sell everything in your home or something.
Of course I've heard of people stealing from their mother before.But I still think its pretty <snip> low.Its lower than whale <snip> and thats at the bottom of the ocean!
Amazing losers, all. The one I'm still incredulous about is Jack Whittaker. He won, what, $112 Million net after taxes in a lump sum, and it's all freakin' gone now? I mean, Mr. Fick (and his hip hop son "Mr. Slick") and David Lee Edwards were bad enough (Edwards blew through, what, $27 million?), but how the hell do you blow through $112 million? I can't even concieve of what you could spend all that on; even if you were buying really expensive real estate, you'd at least have the property. You've got to be a special kind of stupid to make that happen...
its not all that impossible to Blow through $112 million without buying real etate
ain't you ever seen the movies : blank check & brewster's millions
then of course thars a few of my favorite sites like born rich & hemmachers
and as I remember ole Jack Whittaker blew part of his funds @ the local cat houses
I would seriously pay good money, to watch a Docu-Comedy about how ole Jack Whittaker blew, what could have made well over 100 other people
set for life. The cat house insanity, would be one of my favorite scenes!
This is just a guess,but I assume that when Jack Whittaker's wife divorced him she got 1/2 of his net worth.That means he didn't blow through the entire $112 million.We never hear a word about the former Mrs. Whittaker,so I asume she is living quietly,out of the limelight,with her half of the jackpot.
Ahh good ol'boy Jack... They divorced after the money was supposedly gone, he claimed he was broke after people gained access to his accounts and drained them. I wouldn't be surprised if the money was actually moved offshore or something like that, he was already a millionaire when he won so it might not have been unheard of already to him. He also was robbed, sued and settled various lawsuits, including a wrongful death suit from the family of his late granddaughter's boyfriend IIRC.
I'm still amused on how they wished they'd torn up the ticket (totally understandable considering the stupidity Jack partook in) but then awhile after the interview Jack then won $10,000 on another lottery ticket.
As for Edwards, there's a lot to that story and yeah, it was a total mess.
Yeah, that makes sense. Either he shipped a bunch of it offshore, or Jewel Whittaker got 1/2. As for his claim that people drained his accounts, I didn't hear about any lawsuits against his bank that allowed that, so I'm guessing that was just an excuse on his part to avoid having to pay a plaintiff in one or more of the lawsuits he lost. I'd heard he'd not only been sued by a casino that claimed he had a $1 million marker that he wouldn't pay, but also got sued for sexual harrassment. Winning a lottery can be such fun!
My top 5 reasons to consult an attorney before claiming your lottery winnings:
1) Money grubbing relatives
2) Scam artists
3) Beggars
4) Huge potential IRS tax and estate tax bills
5) Lawsuits from gold diggers/opportunists