“I want to take a break and make sure I’m not making any bad decisions and that I’m being responsible. I do want to help out the world, but I have to do it correctly, and I have to make sure that my future is secure."
After winning the lottery, Manuel showed up for work the next day and then vanished into thin air. He didn't tell anyone where he was going.
Meet Manuel Franco
Manuel Franco had been buying Powerball lottery tickets since he was 18 years old. Then, six years later, he claimed the third-largest lottery jackpot in American history.
It was a huge win that would change his life forever. So, what did he do with all this money?
The Day Of
One day, Manuel bought $10 worth of individual Powerball tickets at a Speedway in New Berlin, west of Milwaukee.
One of these tickets became his fortune. “Honestly, I felt so lucky," Manuel recalls. Although he felt like the luckiest man in the world, he didn't watch the Powerball drawing afterward.
Happiest Man In The World
The 24-year-old said he forgot about his lottery ticket purchase until a few days later when he decided to check his numbers online.
“It was amazing. My heart started racing, blood pumping. My blood felt warm. Screamed for about five or ten minutes. Good thing my neighbors didn’t hear." But Manuel had no idea what was coming.
Anonymous
Like many winners, he decided to remain anonymous due to fear of becoming a victim of crime.
However, not all states allow winnings to be claimed anonymously. States like Wisconsin demand the winners of large jackpots participate at press conferences and show their faces.
180 days
Manuel had 180 days to reveal his identity to claim the money. He didn't want to show his face to the public, but he had no other choice.
But it was what he did after he won the money that made him famous.
He Quit
Manuel said that when he showed up to work after he won, he couldn't concentrate. He was sweating the entire day and quit his job two days later. He never revealed where he worked, though.
Before winning hundreds of millions of dollars, the 24-year-old's goal was “trying to get the bank account to $1,000”.
Secretive
Manuel refused to say anything about where he was born and grew up, what kind of car he had, and where he used to work.
Now that he was a millionaire, his priorities suddenly changed, and so did his friends and family. The pressure was becoming too much for him, and he had to do something about it.
Taking Action
Manuel hired several financial advisers and lawyers to help him deal with all the social pressure. For weeks to follow, strangers were standing outside his house and asking him for money.
He needed to take action before it was too late.
Reappeared
Manuel deleted all of his social media accounts and moved to another house. He thought his troubles would end there, but this was just the beginning.
A few weeks later, he reappeared on social media and offered to help those in need. In return, he needed their personal information to send them the money. But his new social media accounts soon caught the attention of the FBI.
Imposters
It turns out that people were making fake accounts on the internet pretending to be Manuel to scam others.
FBI managed to locate Manuel to confirm he wasn't the one who created these new social media profiles. But where had he been all this time?
Promises
In a press conference, Manuel promised that he wouldn't become “one of the people who went bankrupt or broke or anything like that."
But what is he planning to do with his fortune?
Big Plans
Manuel said he plans to travel the world, donate to charities and pay for family members to attend university.
“I’m not sure what the next chapter is going to bring for my life,” he told the press.
Like A Dream
“It feels like a dream, and it feels honestly like, any moment, I’m going to wake up, and I’m just going to be back in my room, in my bed.”
Manuel stated that he stopped buying lottery tickets after his win.
It Changed His Life
“I just can’t believe an ordinary guy like me would ever be in this position. As a winner now, I don’t plan on playing anymore," he said.
"But, I will say that the two-dollar ticket you buy is worth the chance to change your life forever. It certainly has changed my life and I look forward to the future."