Sheriff Girgis from Australia won the biggest money in the history of the local lottery in 2007. However, the man became famous not by this, but by his ability to lose all the huge gain in a short time. This story is an example of how you do not have to rush headlong into the pool of temptations, and think a hundred times, having such money in your pocket.
Jackpot for student
Sheriff Girgis lived in Perth in southwestern Australia, studied at the university and worked as a casino. He repeatedly saw how players hit the jackpot, and secretly envied their luck. The guy was very limited in funds and could not even dream that a fabulous luck would suddenly smile at him. Hirgis sometimes bought lottery tickets, but he was never lucky. And suddenly he found out that he became the owner of a huge jackpot worth more than 30 million Australian dollars.
At that moment, the young man seemed to be in a fairy tale. He had little idea of how to manage such money. Of course, it took him time to decide the fate of millions. The guy decided to contact a professional. He hired a real estate and investment adviser (part-time deputy mayor of the city), but this was one of his most failed decisions.
Bad Advisor
Russell Polivke has been an adviser for many years and had vast experience in financial management. He invited Hirgis to invest in real estate, which was expected. The sheriff wanted to buy a house for himself, but the adviser said that it would be better to invest in your business and land, and then multiply the capital and then buy houses and live on the percentage of profit. All this sounded reasonable, the owner of the prize agreed with the expert and began to act according to his plan.
First mistake
A pub was on sale in Midland; Hirgis bought it and began to wait for profit. But the pub turned out to be old, the building needed repair, and without it the institution could not be opened. Inspectors constantly wrote out fines and did not give permission to work until a full and high-quality repair was carried out. As a result, a year of time and more than two million funds were spent on building reconstruction and equipment replacement.
Hirgis was not happy with his purchase, but he could not refuse it. As the owner of the establishment, he had to constantly eliminate defects, and before that he could not even sell the ill-fated pub. Yes, and those who wanted to buy it were not found. It seems that this purchase cost the man more than any expert could have suggested. In the end, he got rid of the once-coveted purchase.
Other bad investments
In parallel with the pub, Girgis, on the advice of the same investment expert, bought a night club, a yacht and a piece of land on the coast. Like an evil rock pursued the recent lucky. All these acquisitions were extremely unsuccessful and costly. The night club, like the pub, required serious repairs. He had to invest a lot of money, but he did not bring profit. The owner lacked a competent manager, and he himself understood little in drinking and gambling establishments.
The yacht cost a lot of money, but also did not bring joy to the owner. Such vessels are very expensive to maintain and require the hiring of specially trained personnel, who need to pay salaries regularly. According to the law, an owner who does not have a diploma of a navigator cannot independently manage or maintain a yacht. Even just for the fact that the ship will be on the joke, had to pay a lot of money. As a result, the yacht got into such a “penny” for Girgis that he sold it for less money than he had bought once.
A plot of land has become, although costly, but the most successful acquisition. True, he also later had to be abandoned.But at least he justified his initial price. Due to the leasing of land off the coast, Hirgis managed not to go into the red. But later it turned out that nothing can be built on this site, so it had to be sold for a private beach.
The court and its unexpected decision
In 2012, the Sheriff only a small part of the winnings remained - about three million Australian dollars. Hirgis became depressed when he realized how much money he had lost in vain. And then he came up with a plan how not to be left with nothing, but also to increase capital. He sued his adviser, charging him with embezzlement of his own money. Perhaps it was a gesture of despair, or maybe Hirgis developed a clear plan for revenge.
Surprisingly, the court sided with the Sheriff. He ruled that Russell Watering really had no right to manage the winner’s state. After a two-year trial, the court ruled that Watering is required to pay £ 1.9 million to the sheriff. True, the court later reduced this amount to 1.5 million. It is not reported where the adviser was to take such a huge amount of money.
Remnants of luxury
After all the failed investments and courts, Sheriff Girgis has almost 3 million left, and this is enough for a comfortable life and a decent old age. Of course, you cannot compare it with the original prize, but with a reasonable approach, even this money will be enough to live without any special financial problems. True, the ability or inability to manage finances remains with the person forever. The sheriff should make another wrong choice, and he will remain completely penniless.
This is an example of the fact that a huge prize that has fallen from heaven does not in itself bring good luck and happiness. It is important to be able to properly dispose of wealth, so as not to lose, but to increase it. History proves that few do. Probably, fate with the help of big money tests us for strength, for humanity and for the ability to have compassion. Having passed the test of wealth, a person understands the true value of simple things that can not be bought for any money in the world.