Cyprus Times

Lottery Winner Turned Pill Manufacturer: 80-Year-Old Sentenced

Published January 28, 2026, 20:06
Lottery Winner Turned Pill Manufacturer: 80-Year-Old Sentenced

An 80-year-old British man, John Eric Spiby, has been sentenced to 16 years and 6 months in prison for orchestrating a large-scale operation producing and distributing counterfeit diazepam pills. Spiby used his £2.7 million lottery winnings from 2010 to establish two laboratories, one in stables and another in an industrial unit, where the pills were manufactured. The pills, sold for 75p each, ended up on the streets and were supplied to individuals struggling with addiction, causing significant harm to their health. Spiby's son, John Colin Spiby, Lee Drury, and Callum Dorian were also involved in the network and received prison sentences ranging from 9 years to 9 years and 9 months. The gang had amassed profits of £332,602,560 from their illegal activities. During the investigation, it was revealed that Spiby boasted about his earnings, comparing himself to tech billionaires Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos. Prosecutors emphasized that the distribution of counterfeit pills put users' lives at risk due to the lack of quality control and unregulated composition. The judge noted that Spiby, despite his financial success from the lottery, chose a life of crime. The case highlighted a rise in drug-related deaths in the Bury New Road area, linked to the increased availability of such substances. The gang had also set up a shell company to legitimize their operations.