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Michael Carroll | |
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| Born | 29 March 1983 Swaffham, England |
| Occupation | Refuse collector |
| Known for | Winning the lottery and squandering his prize winnings |
Michael Carroll (born 29 March 1983) is an English man who won the UK National Lottery in 2002.
A former refuse collector, Carroll won £9,736,131 in the National Lottery in November 2002, at the age of 19. He enjoyed celebrity status for a time in the British tabloid media as the "Lotto lout" and the self-proclaimed "King of Chavs". [1]
Carroll has stated that he has dyslexia and ADHD, and that he was barely literate by the time he finished secondary school. [2]
When he won the Lotto at the age of 19, he was employed part-time as a refuse collector. [2] At the time of his big win, Carroll did not have a bank account, and he tried opening one at Coutts, who refused his application, which Carroll later ascribed to his extensive criminal record. [2]
Soon after winning the jackpot, Carroll stated he would not be tempted into spending his money lavishly and only wanted to buy a three-bedroom house near a lake, where he could go fishing.[ citation needed ] As a fan of Rangers, Carroll invested up to £1,000,000 of his winnings via Rangers Financial Management, from whom the football club receive a share of profits on the financial services they sell. [3]
Another investment Carroll made with advice was to set up a £3.9 million investment bond, which generated monthly income. He was advised to use this account only if funds from a regular account were gone. Once withdrawals are made from the bond, however, huge penalty fees were deducted; plus the amount of the withdrawal. Carroll, who was very generous to family and friends, gave his mother, aunt and a sister £1,000,000 each, [2] and claimed by September 2003, he had to start living off the proceeds of the bond.
In 2005, Carroll participated in a celebrity boxing match in which he fought Mark Smith, formerly a cast member of TV show Gladiators ; [4] the fight was officially declared a draw by the judges.
In June 2005, Carroll was given an anti-social behaviour order (ASBO) after it was found that whilst drunk, he had been catapulting steel balls from his Mercedes van, breaking 32 car and shop windows, in Downham Market, where he was living.[ citation needed ] He was sentenced to 240 hours of community service and was warned that he could face a custodial sentence if he did not adhere to the ASBO. [5]
In August 2005 a documentary about Carroll presented by Keith Allen, Michael Carroll: King of Chavs, was aired on Channel 4. The film investigated Carroll's vilification by tabloid papers and whether there was more to him than being a "lotto lout", which included contrasting imprisonment for affray alongside penning a "dappy" love song for his daughter. [4] [6] The next month the New York Times reported that Carroll was, after archeologist Howard Carter, Swaffham's "most famous resident" and an object of "national fascination", following the rescinding of an offer to turn on the town's Christmas lights. [7]
In February 2006, he was jailed for nine months for affray. It was noted in court while being sentenced that, since 1997, Carroll had 42 previous offences on record. [8] Later that year, the BBC reported Carroll was almost broke, having spent his fortune on new homes, drugs, parties, jewellery and cars. [9] Carroll subsequently denied rumours that he had no money left. [10]
His autobiography, ghost-written by Sean Boru, entitled Careful What You Wish For, was published by John Blake Publishing in October 2006. [11]
While living at his mansion in Swaffham, five of his Rottweilers were found dead with their throats cut.[ citation needed ] He paid a £130,000 ransom fee to blackmailers who threatened his family.[ citation needed ] He said the men came with shotguns and said "You aren't so big now are you, Mr. Carroll?" He left his car and he never returned to Swaffham, he claimed. [12] He ended up returning to Downham Market. [2]
In May 2010, Carroll returned to his old job as a refuse collector, saying he had no regrets about the way in which he had spent his winnings. [13]
Swaffham is a market town and civil parish in the Breckland District and English county of Norfolk. It is situated 12 miles east of King's Lynn and 31 miles west of Norwich.
Downham Market, sometimes simply referred to as Downham, is a market town and civil parish in Norfolk, England. It lies on the edge of the Fens, on the River Great Ouse, approximately 11 miles south of King's Lynn, 39 miles west of Norwich and 30 miles north of Cambridge.
"Chav", also "charver", "scally" and "roadman" in parts of England, is a British term, usually used in a pejorative way. The term is used to describe an anti-social lower-class youth dressed in sportswear. The use of the word has been described as a form of "social racism". "Chavette" is a related term referring to female chavs, and the adjectives "chavvy", "chavvish", and "chavtastic" are used to describe things associated with chavs, such as fashion, slang, etc. In other countries like Ireland, "skanger" is used in a similar manner. In Ontario, the term is "hoodman", an equivalent of the term "roadman" used in England. In Newfoundland, "skeet" is used in a similar way, while in Australia, "eshay" or "adlay" is used.
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