Photo: Los Angeles Times
Edwin Castro, the winner of the record-setting $2.04 billion Powerball drawing, was spotted on a breakfast date with an Instagram model in Los Angeles Wednesday (July 10).
Castro, 31, was seen sharing a kiss with Payten Vincent outside of the upscale restaurant Nobu. The two were previously spotted wearing the same outfits the previous night and once again photographed the following day as the Powerball winner paid a valet a tip before he and Vincent drove off in his Porsche.
The sighting marked the first time Castro was seen with Vincent, Vincent is a self-described "poet, writer, critic and screenwriter" from the New England area, according to her LinkedIn account. In May, Castro was spotted shirtless with several women in bikinis during a party held at his Hollywood Hills mansion recently, the U.S. Sun reported at the time.
Videos shared on social media showed a large group of women dancing and drinking, while Castro is seen in the background. A photo also showed the Powerball winner showing off his backside with several women.
An insider told the U.S. Sun that Castro's "partying has definitely increased recently" and claimed they were concerned over the lack of familiarity with his guests.
“These people were randoms and it shows recklessness to allow them to come over, party, and plaster everything all over social media," the source said.
Earlier this year, Castro was photographed while pumping gas into a 1970s Volkswagen Karmann Ghia, suspected to be the latest of several vintage cars he's been spotted driving since his life-changing lottery win at the time. The former mechanic has made several expensive purchases with his newfound fortune and reportedly enlisted his brother, Jesse, 27, who works as a banker, to manage his assets, a source with knowledge of the situation confirmed to the New York Post.
“They are a team and they’re very grounded,” the source said of the siblings. “They’re not into partying. They’re not out in clubs otherwise everybody would see them.
“The only pictures that they have are of him coming out of his lawyer’s [office] or the bank. That’s who they are. They are just normal people.”
Castro reportedly purchased a third mansion in Los Angeles in November, having already bought two others since collecting the lump sum payout of his historic lottery win, as well as a $4 million Japanese-inspired home for his parents. Financial advisers, however, have recommended that lottery winners accept their winnings through annual payments and consult with a financial planner, tax lawyer or other expert to create a steady plan for their newfound wealth.
“Don’t make any visible life changes. Don’t quit your job, don’t go out and buy a Ferrari, don’t buy a mansion,” Emily Irwin, managing director of advice and planning at Wells Fargo’s investing and wealth management division, told Fortune. “Maybe you have student loans you want to pay off, that makes sense. But try to avoid that mega-purchase.”
The 31-year-old is estimated to have paid at least $80 million on the four previous homes, while also purchasing several notable luxury items, including a $250,000 vintage Porsche he was spotted driving in April. Castro was publicly announced by the California Lottery as the winner of the record-setting November 8 lottery in February 2023 and accepted the lump sum prize of $997.6 million.
Both the Powerball and Mega Millions jackpots increase during each following game until there's a jackpot winning ticket matching all six numbers drawn, which includes the additional Mega Millions Gold Ball or Powerball in each respective game.