Publishers Clearing House Bankruptcy Leaves Lifetime Winners Without Payments

Several Publishers Clearing House winners are learning the hard way that “lifetime” doesn’t always mean what it says.

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The collapse came after PCH, the sweepstakes company, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in April. A new owner, ARB Interactive, has since taken over, but says it only honors prizes awarded after July 15th, 2025.

One winner, 61-year-old John Wyllie, had been collecting $260,000 annually since winning in 2012. He says he was never warned that the checks would stop.

“Why didn’t somebody give me a heads up? [Say], ‘Hey, we’re going out of business,’” Wyllie said. “It’s not a good way to treat anyone.”

For winners Matthew and Tamar Veatch, both disabled Army veterans who won in 2021, the sudden stop has caused serious emotional and financial stress.

“It’s cruel,” Matthew said. “It’s worse to say you’ll get this thing and your life will change forever, [and then say] ‘Oh, but sorry. No, it’s not.’”

Former VP Darrell Lester, who spent nearly 50 years at PCH, had some hard-earned advice: “If you win, take the lump sum.”

However, for winners who have grown accustomed to weekly payments, the abrupt stop has greatly affected their livelihood. Sadly, with the debt of PCH immediately being sorted out in court, it is unlikely that those who were abruptly cut off will ever receive their outstanding payouts.