I won $5 million playing the lottery but ended up with hundreds of thousands in debt – then I lost everything

DANIEL Carley had the world as his oyster when he secured a $5 million win playing the lottery – but bad decisions turned his world upside down.

Ten years later in 2016 after his lottery win, Carley’s life hit rock bottom when he was sentenced to two and a half years in jail for cocaine trafficking.

Ontario Lottery & Gaming Corp.

Getty

Carley’s story starts on Feb. 21, 2006, when he purchased a dozen $10 Ontario Big Game scratch tickets at a local convenience store.

He won the largest instant cash prize in the province’s history at the time.

After winning the huge sum of money , Carley revealed his intentions to reporters.

Carley planned to keep most of his winnings in the bank to build interest.

He also wanted to invest some of his cash in his bar, Carley’s Pub, Niagara This Week also reported.

Shortly after hitting the jackpot, Carley helped his friend kick off a new charity event for multiple sclerosis, according to a Niagara This Week report at the time.

Three years later, Carley became a father after his common-law spouse at the time, they are now separated, gave birth to their child.

Things started to spiral downward for Carley shortly after though, according to his longtime lawyer, Brenda Sandulak.

The years following his big win saw a series of poor investments aggravated by drug use and being around “questionable characters,” his former attorney, family, and friends said.

DOWNWARD SPIRAL

Carley blew through half his cash three years after his win, according to Sandulak.

“The lottery win began a spiral that took him into some pretty heavy-duty drug addiction, and he was thinking not very clearly for a long period of time,” Sandulak said.

“The fast lifestyle turned into a disaster, quite frankly.”

Sandulak believed Carley’s “unfortunate investments” and his youth made him “ill-equipped” to handle millions of dollars.

“There were a lot of people who took advantage of him because of his money,” she said.

Top lottery winners in the US

Millions dream of winning the lottery and finding fame and fortune. These are the biggest winners in US lottery history.

• Edwin Castro – $2.04 billion, Powerball, Nov. 8, 2022, in California.
• Theodorus Struyck – $1.765 billion, Powerball, Oct. 11, 2023, in California.
• Unknown winner – $1.602 billion, Mega Millions, Aug. 8, 2023, in Florida.
• Marvin and Mae Acosta from Los Angeles, California, John and Lisa Robinson from Munford, Tennessee, and Maureen Smith and David Kaltschmidt from Melbourne Beach, Florida – $1.586 billion, Powerball, Jan. 13, 2016.
• Unknown winner – $1.537 billion, Mega Millions, Oct. 23, 2018, from South Carolina.
• Unknown winner – he sued the mother of his child to keep his identity hidden – $1.348 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 13, 2023, from Maine.
• Unknown winner – $1.337 billion, Mega Millions, July 29, 2022, from Illinois.
• Cheng and Duanpen Saephan , and Laiza Liem Chao – $1.326 billion, Powerball, April 7, 2024, from Oregon.
• Yanira Alvarez – $1.08 billion Powerball, July 19, 2023 in California.
• Wolverine FLL Lottery Club – $1.05 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 22, 2021, from Michigan.
• Unknown winner – $842.4 million Powerball, Jan. 1, 2024, from Michigan.

“He was playing in a league way over his head.”

Life continued to get tougher on Carley as his former best friend filed a lawsuit against him claiming a stake in the prize money.

The suit was ultimately dismissed but carried on for three years, according to an Ontario Superior Court judge’s ruling.

“I felt really sorry for the kid,” Sandulak said.

“It felt strange to feel sorry for someone who won $5 million.”

Carley grew up in a working-class neighborhood closeby to downtown St. Catharines.

Since being arrested Carley has given back to the community.

He helped with volunteer efforts by the provincially funded Community Addictions Services of Niagara, his lawyer revealed.

Through all of this Carley’s mother Donna was going through a battle of her own.

Donna revealed she was battling cancer and undergoing chemotherapy.

“I’m really, really tired,” she said, stressing her son’s troubles with the law.

She has shown her support for Carley throughout all his troubles with the law.

“Am I proud of the decisions he’s made earlier in his life?” said his mother, Donna Carley.

“No, I’m not.

“Am I proud of the way he’s decided to own up to his choices? Yes, I am,” she told the Star .

As of today, not much is known about Carley as he has stayed private and out of the spotlight.

There is also not much known about his mother’s health after she battled cancer and underwent chemotherapy a few years back.