Sex Offender Claims Remainder of $9M Lottery Jackpot

A sentenced sex offender that won a lottery jackpot was able to grow his fortune, but not without facing death threats and abuse. Iorworth Hoare, has spent some 30 years in prison over multiple attempts to rape women, two indecent assaults as well as one rape. It was back in 1989 after several rape attempts in Leeds when the man was sentenced to life in prison. However, Hoare’s sentence was reduced to only 16 years.

Shortly before his release in 2005, the sentenced sex offender won a jackpot from the lottery. In 2004, Hoare was out temporarily as a part of a supervised release within a community program. This is when he purchased the winning ticket that ultimately got him a jackpot worth £7.2 million ($9 million).

Under the current regulatory framework in the UK, inmates are prohibited from gambling. Well, Hoare was clever enough to avoid this restriction when he was temporarily released and at the same time lucky enough to even hit the jackpot. But keeping in mind that he was a sentenced sex offender, Hoare was restricted to receiving £8,666 (US$10,800) on a monthly basis. Still, for 19 years, he was able to collect $2.4 million from the jackpot. This happened before Hoare was finally allowed to access the full remaining amount recently, a report released by The Daily Mirror revealed.

Most-Hated Millionaire Likes to Invest

When going out of prison, Hoare quickly became infamous as the most hated millionaire in Britain. Keeping in mind why he served in prison in the first place, he was insulted by strangers that met him on the street. In some cases, Hoare has seen motorists shout “beast” at him. The man was also subject to death threats and whenever going out he would be constantly looking over his shoulder over fears of an attack.

Hoare had an interesting hobby while he was in prison. At the time, he studied antiques and art, which ultimately enabled him to accumulate significant knowledge. This helped him make significant investments, especially in art. He started buying artworks with the goal to resell them, an activity that helped him continue to increase his well-being.

Moreover, Hoare’s home has risen in value, but several other investments also brought him thousands of pounds. Reportedly, the man invested in office spaces that he rents out, giving him an annual income of approximately £300,000 ($371,700). He also has more than 40 parking spaces, which bring him some £100,000 ($123,900) annually.