James Farthing arrest follows $167M Powerball win and three earlier busts
Powerball winner James Farthing pleaded not guilty after a woman accused him of strangling her in Scott County, TMZ reported.
By Poppy Nakagawa · Culture Writer
2 min read
The latest James Farthing arrest has put the $167.3 million Powerball winner back in court, with TMZ reporting that the Kentucky jackpot holder was booked in Scott County after a woman accused him of strangling her.
Farthing, 51, pleaded not guilty Tuesday to charges of strangulation and assault, according to TMZ. A judge set his bond at $15,000 and ordered him to avoid contact with the woman while wearing a monitoring device.
The arrest came Monday, one day after the woman said the alleged confrontation happened following a boating trip, TMZ reported. She told investigators that Farthing grabbed her by the neck during an argument Sunday morning, leaving visible welts.
The woman also told investigators that the alleged incident may have been recorded by a Ring camera inside the bedroom, according to TMZ.
Why was James Farthing arrested?
Farthing was arrested in Scott County after a woman accused him of grabbing her by the neck during an alleged argument, TMZ reported. He has pleaded not guilty to the strangulation and assault charges.
The case adds another court fight to Farthing’s run of legal trouble since his lottery win. TMZ reported that this is his fourth arrest since he won Kentucky’s largest-ever Powerball jackpot in April 2025.
Farthing’s first arrest after the win came only days after the jackpot, when he was accused of kicking a Florida deputy in the head during a disturbance at a hotel bar, according to TMZ.
He was later arrested in an alleged witness-intimidation case, TMZ reported. Details of that case were not included in the report.
More recently, Farthing was charged in connection with a November hit-and-run, according to TMZ. Police said he was driving his Corvette at more than 100 mph when he rear-ended another vehicle and then left on foot.
Farthing’s Powerball win drew attention because of its size: $167.3 million, the largest jackpot ever won in Kentucky, according to the Kentucky Lottery information cited by TMZ.
The latest case is now moving through court after his not guilty plea. Under the judge’s order reported by TMZ, Farthing must stay away from the woman while the case continues and wear a monitoring device as a condition of bond.
This story draws on original reporting from TMZ.