Publishers Clearing House Goes Bankrupt, Sweepstakes Winners No Longer Receiving Yearly Checks

Publishers Clearing House (PCH) — the marketing giant known for its feel-good sweepstakes commercials showing unsuspecting Americans getting happily ambushed at home with celebratory balloons and oversized prop checks — is getting bashed for stiffing prize winners.

The famous magazine subscription peddler declared bankruptcy earlier this year, leaving the recipients of its supposedly “forever” sweepstakes awards furious and wondering what happened to the so-called dream the company pitched on TV.

Nearly a dozen past winners have yet to receive their yearly checks, and one legal expert tells the National Enquirer that their financial dream is now a real-life bait-and-switch nightmare.

“These people are going from being sweepstakes winners to creditors making a claim against Publishers Clearing House in bankruptcy court,” renowned New York legal expert Pete Gleason explains. “And they are lucky if they even get 10 cents on the dollar!”

Former winner John Wyllie, 61, of White City, Ore., says he won $260,000 a year in 2012 — enough cash to retire, move closer to his kinfolk and live out the rest of life with his feet up — until the money abruptly stopped coming, according KGW8.

“This feels like a nightmare,” he says. “I thought this was going to go on for the rest of my life, so I didn’t really have to worry about money. I sold my jet ski. Sold my trailer. I had a little bit of money left over, and that’s what I’m living on right now. Pretty sure I’m going to lose my home.”

Tamar Veatch, of Cottage Grove, Ore., scored a lifetime payout in 2021 amounting to $5,000 a week — but says her annual payment failed to arrive earlier this year.

Now, she and hubby Matthew — who are both disabled Army veterans — say they’re still reeling from the emotional shock of having the financial rug pulled out from under them.

“It’s cruel,” Matthew told KGW8. “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.’”

When PCH filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in April, it claimed to have between $1 million and $10 million in assets — but admitted it owed $50 million to $100 million.

In July, ARB Interactive, an online casino operator, bought PCH for $7.1 million and only assumed responsibility for prizes awarded after July 15, as well as a SuperPrize from May 31 — leaving other winners high and dry, per The New York Times.

Wyllie moans, “I’m getting the shaft, on top of the shaft.”