What’s in this Harlem man’s wallet? He says $168 million.
James “Jimmy” Groves — a Madison Square Garden laborer who recently defaulted on his Capital One credit-card debt — yesterday told The Post that he’s the person who won half of a $336 million Mega Millions lottery jackpot two weeks ago.
“It feels great!” said Groves, 49, near his home in the crime-riddled Grant Houses. “I’m going to Disney World!
“I was down and out, and I didn’t have a dime in my pocket. I asked for a lottery ticket, in 26 installment payments. And the next day, I won $166 million.
“Then the lottery people called me back and told me it was [actually] $168 million,” said the father of two, who has not been publicly confirmed by lottery officials as the winner.
Groves has yet to collect on what would be yearly payments of $6.47 million before taxes. But he is already learning that with all that money comes mighty big headaches.
He said that since telling family and pals he won, he’s been fielding up to 40 calls each morning from friends, acquaintances and others begging for cash.
“It’s hectic,” said Groves, who had been working the midnight shift at Madison Square Garden stacking chairs. “I wake up every morning, and everyone is on me like stink on s- – -.
“Right now, I’m frustrated. I feel like my family is in a position of jeopardy,” he said. “This is a dangerous neighborhood.
“It’s a dream turned into a nightmare. Winning is the beginning. Living with it is pure hell.
“I know people say, ‘Give me that hell.’ Be careful what you wish for — you just might get it.”
That said, Groves was admittedly living “paycheck to paycheck” before the drawing and could definitely use the money.
Court records show that Capital One — the credit-card issuer whose motto is “What’s in your wallet?” — in March obtained a judgment of nearly $4,000 against Groves for unpaid principal and interest.
State lottery officials yesterday refused to confirm whether Groves is the person who won the half-share of the Aug. 28 Mega Millions drawing .
The winning ticket was bought at Fordham Grocery and Convenience Store in The Bronx and bore the numbers 1-17-31-37-54, with the Mega Ball 31.
The other winner of the jackpot — the second largest in Mega Millions history — bought that ticket in California.
“I can’t confirm anything until we actually have a public check presentation. We’re in the process of putting together a date, a place or time that works for everybody,” said Lottery spokeswoman Carolyn Hapeman.
Sources at the Garden said Groves has told them he won the lottery and has not been at work since the drawing. A Garden spokesman declined to comment.
Groves’ neighbors have been buzzing for days about his reputed staggering good fortune at Grant Houses, where elevators reek of urine and most prior news stories mentioning the project have been about violent crimes there.
One neighbor said Groves last week was toting a store sign bearing the lottery prize amount.
“He told me, ‘I just won $166 million,’ ” Fred Reid, 78, recalled. “I didn’t believe him, but I said congratulations.”
Another resident, Karen Jefferson, said the win is “a blessing for him . . . He can move his family up, out of here.”
She said Groves was known for trying “to get people in the neighborhood jobs at Madison Square Garden.”
Additional reporting by Brendan Scott, Dareh Gregorian and Alex Ginsberg