A LOTTO winner who scooped £10million needs he by no means gained after half of his fortune vanished and his life spiralled uncontrolled.
Mark Lipsham claims to have been conned by a “clairvoyant” who promised to handle his whopping windfall – however spent his money as an alternative.
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The New Zealand truck driver’s life was reworked in 2017 when his fortunate numbers got here up on the Powerball in Auckland.
Mark defined within the weeks previous to his win, he started “dreaming numbers” which he wrote down and used when he purchased a lotto ticket.
The then 53-year-old stop his job on the motorways the subsequent day – however quickly got here crashing down from his epic excessive.
The previous navy man struggled to deal with the shortage of routine he had grow to be accustomed to – and the hundreds of thousands burning a gap in his pocket.
He recalled: “I discovered that very exhausting and it led me to a spot of issues – issues with myself as a result of I wasn‘t working how I all the time operated.”
He instructed information.com.au that he quickly fell right into a state of “melancholy, stress and frustration” as he shortly grew to become pestered for handouts.
Mark remained in his modest house and refused to make any flash purchases together with his win whereas fretting about his fortune.
Two years later in October 2019, the father-of-two was launched to a clairvoyant “who apparently knew about cash” by a neighbour.
He was hopeful of shifting his multi-million-pound burden onto a monetary professional, seeing him put full belief in Kim Helmbright.
She shortly took management of Mark’s spiralling life – together with his well being, relationships, authorized affairs and cash.
Helmbright intensely mentored Mark over the subsequent seven months and charged him a hefty £60,000 for her companies.
She coached him on respiration suggestions, inspired him to drink much less alcohol and even satisfied him to distance himself from household and associates.
After receiving fee, the fiscal guru allegedly instructed him she was “very costly and likes to be paid when she ask for it.”
By this time, Mark had grow to be extra assured in dealing with his £10million fortune and deliberate to enter the property market.
Ultimately, it actually wasn’t assist in any respect. I really received conned and out of fairly some huge cash.
Mark Lipsham
The trusting former trucker claims to have handed Helmbright nearly £1.5million in December that yr to fund home purchases on his behalf.
He then travelled for a number of months whereas visiting his daughters, however says he returned to Auckland in March 2020 to learn by the clairvoyant there have been delays with the purchases.
Mark was pressured to maneuver right into a lodge as a result of setback – and was left mortified when he requested for an replace on the transactions.
The dad-of-two claims two months on from the unique switch, Hembright merely disregarded his queries and refused to talk to him.
The Lotto winner then terminated his skilled relationship along with her after realising his financial institution steadiness had slumped to £6.2million.
He instructed the New Zealand Herald: “Ultimately, it actually wasn’t assist in any respect. I really received conned and out of fairly some huge cash.”
‘FRAUD’
A pal of the millionaire later supplied to assist him reclaim his misplaced money and allegedly uncovered she had been splashing it on properties for herself.
Helmbright is alleged to have purchased two sprawling properties in her title with three months of receiving Mark’s £1.5million fee.
The livid former soldier put freezing orders on each pads whereas launching a authorized battle, claiming the clairvoyant had used “fraudulently” obtained money to pay.
Nevertheless, the self-proclaimed monetary advisor stated the pair had drawn up a proper Freelancing Settlement for the companies she supplied – permitting her to make use of the cash as she wished.
However proof in an Auckland courtroom confirmed she had both solid the doc or bought it from a dodgy on-line web site.
Regardless of the drama, the dispute has since been resolved out of courtroom.
Mark was left reeling from his rollercoaster journey since his large win, but has now discovered happiness together with his ever-expanding financial institution steadiness and fiancée.
However he has a phrase of warning for individuals who come up trumps on the Lotto: “Don‘t inform anybody.”
