News writer; Opinion columnist
Multiple mansions, a secret trip to Fiji, and a collection of Porsches. Edwin Castro set records when he won over $2 billion in the largest Powerball jackpot in history. He cashed in his ticket of a lump sum payment worth $999.7 million, and he hasn't wasted any time when it comes to enjoying his massive prize.
Ten Tickets to Paradise
Where does a newly minted, almost billionaire go after collecting his cash? Anywhere he wants.
For Castro, that apparently meant taking himself and a handful of his closest friends on a luxury trip to Fiji's gorgeous white sand beaches. He and his pals spent time fishing, swimming in the clear blue water of the South Pacific, and even paid a visit to Cloud 9, a floating bar that can only be reached by an hour-long boat ride from the island's mainland.
Family Matters
Despite his newfound wealth, Castro hasn't forgotten his roots. As part of his multi-million dollar real estate spending spree, he purchased a $4 million home in his hometown of Alta Dena for his parents, Edwin Sr. and Francesca.
The home has five bedrooms, five bathrooms, and a panoramic view of the surrounding San Gabriel mountains.
The house is part of a reported $76 million real estate collection he's amassed, including a $47 million seven-bedroom mansion in LA's exclusive Bel Air neighborhood and a $25 million hill-side bachelor pad in the Hollywood Hills, complete with an infinity pool and a koi pond.
And when he needs to drive from one of his dream homes to another, he can just jump into one of his Porsches. He's been spotted in a white Porsche 911 and a green vintage Porsche 911 SC from the 70s.
When it comes to managing his massive fortune, the record-breaking winner is keeping it in the family. The New York Post reports that Castro's 27-year-old brother Jerry, who works as a banker, is helping to manage his assets.
Controversy cleared up?
Some controversy followed Castro's big win. Jose Rivera claimed that he was the original owner of the winning ticket but that his landlord, Urachi “Reggie” Romero, stole the ticket before it ended up with Castro.
The California Lottery Commission determined that Castro was the rightful winner, and there is allegedly footage of him buying the winning ticket that has yet to be released to the public. Now David De Paoli, Castro's attorney, claims to have seen the footage and says that it proves his client bought the winning ticket.
“I have personally viewed the CCTV footage, and it is crystal clear,” De Paoli told the US Sun. “Edwin Castro purchased the winning Powerball ticket without question.”
Based on their investigation, the lottery commission has reiterated that they're confident the ticket belonged to Castro.
“When it comes to the vetting process for big winners, California Lottery has the utmost confidence in its process for doing so,” lottery spokesperson Carolyn Becker said in an earlier statement. “California Lottery remains confident that Edwin Castro is the rightful winner of the $2.04 billion prize stemming from the Powerball drawing in November of 2022.”
