Powerball Lottery Winner Makes Major Move After $2 Billion Jackpot
Edwin Castro is one of the most fortunate lottery winners in history. Castro famously netted a $2 billion Powerball jackpot.
Now, he's made a major move to give back to his community. Castro has spent $10 million purchasing lots to help rebuild fire-ravaged California.
"When I won, I promised myself I’d use the blessing to make a difference. Rebuilding Altadena isn’t business it’s homecoming. The goal is simple: bring families back, keep the community alive, and build something that lasts beyond headlines," he wrote on X.
- Castro "has spent about $10 million to buy 15 fire-scorched lots in the San Gabriel Mountain foothills," according to Pasadena Now.
- The lottery winner "has become one of the area’s largest post-fire land buyers" in the wake of the devastating Eaton Fire, the site reported.
- "Edwin Castro is one of the biggest investors snapping up destroyed properties—and he wants to lead in rebuilding his hometown of Altadena," the Wall Street Journal reported.
Edwin Castro Is Trying to Build Homes for 'Families Who Want to Live Here,' Reports Say
According to Pasadena Now, Castro is the son of a construction worker.
“I want to rebuild this place for families who want to live here," he said, according to the Wall Street Journal report. He wants to ensure that the profit margin after building homes is not "egregious."
When I won, I promised myself I’d use the blessing to make a difference. Rebuilding Altadena isn’t business it’s homecoming. The goal is simple: bring families back, keep the community alive, and build something that lasts beyond headlines. ????➡️❤️ #AltadenaRebuild #edwincastro pic.twitter.com/Y6X67jSsfi
— Edwin Castro (@EdwinCastr99605) October 14, 2025
"This is for a family that wants to move in. Those are the people that need to be looked out for right now," he told the Wall Street Journal of his efforts to rebuild homes.
According to The New York Post, Castro, 33, is a "former Boy Scout and architecture consultant" who "once rented a room in Altadena before his lottery win" but is now "among the largest private landowners in town."
About 9,000 structures burned in Altadena during the wildfire, The Post noted.
Edwin Castro Splurged on Real Estate for Himself After His Massive Lottery Win
Castro wants to build himself a private home that is “Willy Wonka-esque" in the fire-ravaged area, according to the Wall Street Journal.
After winning the Powerball, Castro splurged on real estate.
According to TC Palm, Castro lost one of his homes in the wildfire, a $3.8 million Malibu residence, but he has two others. He was the sole winner of the $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot in 2022.
It was the largest lottery jackpot in U.S. history at that time.
According to TC Palm, Castro opted for a lump sum of about $1 billion, but took home less than that after taxes. He purchased the ticket at Joe's Service Center in Altadena, California.
He quickly purchased a home worth more than $25 million in the Hollywood Hills, the site noted.
Joe Chahayed Jr., the owner of Joe's Service Center, also benefited from Castro's luck. He took in a $1 million bonus check for selling the winning ticket, TC Palm reported, adding that customers sometimes touch the service center's windows for good luck.
Powerball winner Edwin Castro is spending millions buying lots that were torched in the LA wildfires https://t.co/zoIL9jOos6 pic.twitter.com/zP7f1raJ3I
— New York Post (@nypost) October 13, 2025
According to the New York Post, after winning the Powerball, Castro was hit with a since-dismissed lawsuit and started dating a bikini model.
In addition to real estate, he enjoys purchasing cars with his largesse, The Post reported, adding that Castro "has been snapping up high-end rides, like a gleaming 911 Porsche Turbo Coupe from the 1980s."
Other major lottery winners range from a man who now has cancer to a grandfather who still drives his old truck, The Post reported.