A Couple Won the Powerball. Investing It Turned Into Tragedy

Sue and Paul Rosenau pose after winning the Powerball in 2008. The jackpot total, above, reflects pre-tax annual payments, not the after-tax lump-sum the Rosenaus received. Photo: Andy King/Associated Press.

How high fees and low returns hurt a nonprofit that trusted a local financial adviser.

In spring 2008, Paul Rosenau, a construction supervisor and heavy-equipment operator in Waseca, Minn., bought a Powerball ticket—and hit a $59.6 million after-tax jackpot.

Rosenau, a devout Lutheran and the son of a pastor, recalls with a tremor in his voice how he and his wife, Sue Rosenau, felt when they woke up the next morning.

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This article was originally published on The Wall Street Journal.