Lottery winner jailed after pumping jackpot prize into crystal meth drug empire
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A convicted drug dealer used his lottery millions to build a massive Breaking Bad-style crystal meth empire.
At the age of 45, Ronnie Music Jr scooped a $3million (£1.5m) fortune just three years after being released from prison for running a meth lab and possessing an illegal gun.
In 2015, the maintenance supervisor from Georgia, US, won the money from a scratchcard he bought at a petrol station and told media he and his wife would resist splurging it on a lavish lifestyle.
However, Music's crime free dreams were short-lived when former crime associates allegedly got hold of him after hearing news of his bumper pay day.
Just like fictional chemistry teacher Walter White, Music pumped much of his winnings into becoming a crystal meth kingpin.
After accepting his jackpot, Music who spent three years of a 10 year sentence in Wilcox State Prison, explained that he preferred scratchcards to casinos.
His winning ticket left him in disbelief and convinced at the time that it was a sign of his luck changing to help reform his character.
“I buy tickets every once in awhile,” he told the WALB, “I couldn’t believe it, and I still don’t believe it yet.”
Despite initial plans for Music and his wife to keep a low profile, it wasn't long before they splashed out on a posh new home, flash cars and jewellery.
At the same time Music had invested into his old familiar business which ground to a halt when his dealers were busted selling half a million dollars worth of the drug.
It was not long before police managed to trace their activity back to Music whose property was raided.
Police raided his property and seized more than $1m (£800,000) worth of meth, a collection of guns, bullets, cars and more than $600,000 (£300,000) in cash.
US Attorney Ed Tarver said: “Defendant Music decided to test his luck by sinking millions of dollars of lottery winnings into the purchase and sale of crystal meth."
Before sentencing Music to 21 years, Judge Lisa Godbey Wood said: “Nobody has ever blown lottery winnings in a more dangerous and destructive way than you did.”
