A Kentucky man who made headlines last year by winning the state's largest-ever lottery fortune has been arrested for allegedly strangling a woman. James Farthing, 51, won a staggering $167 million Powerball jackpot in April 2025, allegedly putting a life of crime behind him as he became one of the richest Kentucky residents overnight. But on Monday he was arrested on domestic violence charges of strangulation and assault, WHAS 11 reported, marking the fourth criminal case he's faced since winning the jackpot. According to an arrest warrant obtained by the outlet, the victim told police she and the 51-year-old got into an altercation when they returned to his Georgetown home after a boating trip on Sunday. The woman told police the argument escalated into a physical confrontation when Farthing allegedly wrapped both hands around her neck and began choking her. The warrant states the woman had visible welts on her neck. Farthing entered a not guilty plea Tuesday and was ordered held on a $15,000 cash bond, WAVE 3 reported. The 51-year-old was also ordered to wear an electronic monitoring device and have no contact with the alleged victim.

The case will return to court for a preliminary hearing on August 27 at 1.30pm. Just days after his win last year, Farthing was arrested after allegedly assaulting a police officer in Florida. The arrest resulted in a parole violation conviction, and he spent two months in jail. According to public records, Farthing was no stranger to brushes with the law, and before his lottery win he had spent 30 years in prison on a variety of offenses, including escaping from jail and burglary. After getting out of jail in June 2025 following the alleged assault on a police officer, Farthing was arrested on February 11 in Kentucky, after a woman called 911 saying people were threatening her with a weapon.

The woman, who has not been named, reportedly told police people 'wanted to hurt her,' and cops found marijuana and a gun. According to a criminal complaint first reported by WKYT, Farthing picked up the woman for a pre-arranged meetup, and she told officers she felt pressured by Farthing to take a 'gummy.' While being questioned by police, Farthing then texted the woman, 'Why would you do this to me? Unreal. I’d never hurt you,' according to the complaint. According to public records, Farthing's life of crime dates back to 1994, and his lengthy rap sheet now spans eight arrests across over three decades.

His alleged offenses include choking a girlfriend, bribing officers while in prison and selling cocaine to an undercover cop, according to a report from Smoking Gun. Reports say before Farthing hit the jackpot, he was a drug dealer who only completed 10 years of formal schooling – but went on to earn his GED in prison. Farthing reportedly even roped his own mother, Linda Grizzle, into a plot to smuggle marijuana into a maximum-security prison. He accepted a plea deal for 10 years behind bars in that case which got his mother out of trouble.

When he won the huge jackpot lottery last year, Farthing split the millions with his mother, and they were seen beaming in a gas station as they collected the winning ticket. At the time, he told WSAZ: 'I’ve caused a lot of stress on her [my mom], you know, I’ve made some bad decisions in life, and you know, God’s been good because I’ve kept my faith and done right, and something’s happened good for me.' But his celebrations were cut short as within days of the lottery win, Farthing was arrested and charged on May 1, 2025, in Florida after allegedly attacking a police officer.

Police said Farthing punched another guest in the face before kicking a deputy who tried to intervene. The incident also saw Farthing slapped with parole violation charges after he left Kentucky without notifying his parole officer, a requirement because of his lengthy rap sheet. His lottery winnings helped pay an $11,000 bail, and Farthing initially entered a not-guilty plea but later waived his right to hearings and requested to serve his sentence. He was released from custody in June 2025, records show, but he was arrested yet again in Kentucky on February 11 after allegedly forcing the woman to take a 'gummy.'