Lottery Winner: Spouse Wants Cash; Mom Hopes He Dies

The curse of instant wealth has struck again.

One of two winners of a record $36 million jackpot in Britain’s National Lottery faces threats of legal action from his estranged wife and a hope from his adoptive mother that he will drink himself to death.

Mark Gardiner, 33, who runs a glass-fitting business from a garage, was identified by newspapers after winning the lottery Saturday. He and his business partner, Paul Maddison, shared a 1-pound ($1.60) ticket and hit all six numbers to win the jackpot.

“I’m after half his cash,” the thrice-married Gardiner’s estranged wife, Kim Cresswell, 33, was quoted as telling Britain’s Sun newspaper.

Kim Cresswell - her husband recently changed his name to Gardiner - said their divorce isn’t final.

Irene Cresswell, 68, who adopted Gardiner as a toddler and raised him, told newspapers: “He has made our life a misery. I hope he drinks himself to death.”

Gardiner would not comment on their remarks, saying only: “It’s very sad, some of the things that have been written about me.”

Gardiner and Maddison will share the jackpot.

“Last night we were all talking about what you could spend it on and didn’t get up to a million,” said Gardiner, who lives in Hastings, south of London.

The jackpot topped the $27.9 million won in December by an Indian-born factory worker in north England. He’s quarreled with his brothers over the money and been criticized by Muslim leaders for gambling.