A Dundee lottery winner who blew his fortune and turned to drug-dealing has made “peace” with the fact he will spend more than five years in prison.
Jack Tanbini, 28, was handed the sentence by judge Lord Summers at the High Court in Edinburgh on Wednesday.
The judge heard how Tanbini was caught by police keeping more than £150,000 of cocaine at his home in the city.
Detectives raided the property in Easson’s Angle on two separate occasions, having established he was involved in the drugs trade between August and October 2022.
Tanbini pled guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine at hearing at the High Court in Dundee last year and Lord Summers deferred sentence for reports.
Tanbini observed proceedings via video link as his solicitor advocate Christopher MacFarlane told the court his client accepted he would go to prison for his crimes.
He said: “He is under no illusion about what will happen to him today.
“He knows he’s going to prison and he has made his peace with it.
“He is a young man who shows a lot of promise and he intends to use his time in custody to his advantage.”
In 2014, Tanbini won the £100,000 Lotto jackpot on a £1 scratch card after helping unload a delivery at a newsagents in Dundee.
He tried to buy a packet of crisps for a pound but the shopkeeper refused to take the cash as Tanbini had done a good deed so the youngster bought a scratch card instead and pocketed the small fortune.
He told The Courier he would give some money to his mum and save the rest but in 2019, he appeared at the city’s sheriff court on a dangerous driving charge and revealed he had not worked for five years and spent the windfall.
Powder and cash found
During earlier proceedings for the present case, the court heard how police obtained a search warrant in August 2022 for Tanbini’s home.
Officers found him in a car with two mobile phones on his lap, one of which was open, and police were able to see Snapchat messages relating to drug-dealing.
He then led police to drugs in a bedroom cupboard.
Prosecutor David Logan said: “A block of white powder, a bag of white powder and various paraphernalia was recovered, including digital scales with white powder, cash and bags with sachets.”
£6,400 in cash and £320 in a wallet was recovered.
In total, the drugs weighed more than 800g and had a purity of 79-80% – more than double the standard for Scotland – with a maximum potential street value of £153,800.
A further search was carried out in October 2022 and a bag with £13,415 in cash was found, along with a tick list, but no drugs.
Jailed
Prosecutors told the court they are launching a proceeds of crime action against Tanbini to confiscate £20,135 which they say is his ill-gotten gains.
Judge Lord Summers told Tanbini: “In my opinion you have had a significant role in a criminal enterprise.
“In all the circumstances, the sentence of the court will be one of five years and five months.”
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