Fact Check: Did Jeffrey Epstein win an $85 million Powerball jackpot in July 2008?

WASHINGTON, DC: Following the release of millions of new redacted files related to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, various rumors surfaced online regarding him, and most of these were true, while some were debunked.

Recently, a rumor circulated online claiming that Jeffrey Epstein won an $85 million Powerball jackpot in July 2008. But is there any truth to this? Let us find out below.

Claim: Jeffrey Epstein won an $85 million Powerball jackpot in July 2008

An X account came up with a post on Sunday, March 22, that read, "Fun Fact: Jeffrey Epstein won an $85 million Powerball jackpot on July 2, 2008."

The viral post, which also contained an image of the disgraced financier, garnered more than 3 million views on X, and more than 5,800 users liked the post.

The Justice Department released a massive trove of nearly 3.5 million pages of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein, along with over 2,000 videos and 180,000 images, on January 30.

The disclosure exposed details about Epstein's network, flight logs, and associates. The files also mentioned names of some prominent figures, such as Donald Trump, Elon Musk, Bill Clinton, Bill Gates, Les Wexner, and others.

However, it must be noted that inclusion often reflects mere association or contact, not necessarily wrongdoing.

Interestingly, controversies persisted over heavy redactions, incomplete disclosures, and debates on whether the files fully exposed a wider network.

Fact Check: True, Zorro Trust claimed the winning ticket

The claim made in the viral post is true, as Jeffrey Epstein's Zorro Trust did claim the winning ticket for the $85 million Powerball jackpot drawn on July 2, 2008.

As per reports, the ticket was sold at a Stripes convenience store in Altus, Oklahoma, and the trust took the lump-sum cash option, receiving approximately $29.3 million after taxes.

Moreover, contemporary news reports from August 2008 confirm the claim without any Epstein connection at the time. The Oklahoma Lottery announced that 'a trust' called the Zorro Trust claimed the prize. 

Meanwhile, the jackpot was advertised at $85 million annuity; the cash value before taxes was around $41.3 million. The payout was handled through a trust company in Oklahoma City and followed standard anonymous-claim procedures

Interestingly, the draw happened right after Jeffrey Epstein began serving his controversial 13-month Florida jail sentence. No official investigation proved fraud or rigging, and lottery officials have said the claim followed normal rules.