A woman has come forward to share that she has cut off contact with her family after winning a massive lottery jackpot, stating that they became increasingly demanding and greedy.
Gillian Bayford claimed she spent $880,000 settling her family’s debts
Gillian Bayford, originally from Dundee, Scotland, struck gold back in August 2012 when she and her husband at the time, Adrian, won a staggering $187.5 million on the EuroMillions lottery.
However, this life-changing win soon led to significant challenges in her personal life, including a divorce from Adrian just 15 months after their windfall. Today, Gillian maintains that her marriage wasn’t the only casualty of her newfound wealth; her relationship with her family deteriorated as well.
The troubles began when Gillian took it upon herself to help her family financially, spending a jaw-dropping $880,000 to settle various debts.
This move included clearing the debts of her father, Ian McCulloch, who passed away in 2021, and her brother Colin. Gillian claims that the two men had engaged in a series of unsuccessful business ventures, and she took the financial hit to help them out of their holes.
In her own words, Gillian said: “My dad and brother built up one company after another and then closed them down. I’ve bailed them out of every debt.”
Moreover, Gillian bought a $350,000 penthouse in eastern Scotland for her parents, who were living in a caravan at the time. Despite these generous acts, her parents later asked her to lend an additional $950,000 to her brother to start a new play center business, which reportedly led to further strains and demands.
Colin eventually stopped talking to Gillian and even got married without inviting her to the wedding. The breakdown in family ties left Gillian feeling hurt and betrayed.
Speaking to The Sun in 2016, she explained the emotional toll it took on her: “It’s upsetting and raw. The money was supposed to make everybody happy. But it’s made them demanding and greedy.”
Gillian is now resolute in her decision to cut ties, emphasizing that she has no plans to mend her relationship with her family. She declared: “I wish them a happy life, but there will be no reconciliation now.”
On the other hand, Gillian’s mother, Brenda, expressed her regrets in a conversation with the Mirror, also in 2016. Brenda said: “I’d like to see the grandchildren but I couldn’t trust Gillian not to twist everything.” She added, “Gillian says that we didn’t try to get in touch with them, but if I’d tried, she wouldn’t have let me.”
