Suddenly Vanished $2 Trillion Lottery Winner in the US... "Lived in Fear of Kidnapping"

Lottery Jackpot of 2.4 Trillion Won Won
Disappeared After Identity Revealed

The winner of the second-largest lottery jackpot in U.S. history has suddenly disappeared. Concerns among neighbors are growing after his personal information was made public online.

According to foreign media reports including the U.S. US Sun and the U.K. Daily Mail, Theodorus Struik, an American who won the $1.765 billion (approximately 2.4 trillion KRW) Powerball lottery last October, recently vanished from the town where he lived.

Powerball is a lottery issued in 45 U.S. states and is considered one of the largest lotteries in the country alongside Mega Millions. Struik’s jackpot is reported to be the second-largest in Powerball history.

The home of Mr. Sturuik, the winner of the second-largest Powerball jackpot in history. A "No Entry" sign is posted. [Image source=Captured from Daily Mail, etc.]

Struik resides in the small town of Fraser Park, California. This town is known as a small residential area with a population of around 3,100. California requires lottery winners’ identities to be publicly disclosed, including the winner’s real name and current residence. The name and location of the retailer where the ticket was purchased, the date of the win, and the jackpot amount are also made public.

Before winning the lottery, Struik reportedly lived a quiet life after retirement. However, after winning, he was said to be afraid of becoming a target for bad people. Kevin Warton, the caretaker looking after Struik’s home, told local media, “He was very fearful,” adding, “I worry someone might put a sack over Struik’s head and drag him away by car. We just hope his security is tight. With the amount of money he has, it’s possible.”

Another town resident told the media, “If I lived here, I wouldn’t want to reveal my name,” and added, “Now Struik carries a big target on his back.” An anonymous resident speculated, “He might have been driven out of the town due to media attention.”

Neighbors believe Struik may have moved to his son’s home in San Diego. Struik’s son is currently serving in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Meanwhile, the lottery retailer where he purchased the ticket, 'Midway Market,' has become a popular lottery spot through word of mouth. The lottery company also reportedly gave the retailer a congratulatory bonus worth $1 million (approximately 1.3 billion KRW).