When you think Publisher’s Clearing House, you inevitably think of the giant, life-changing checks and the reactions of the winners caught on camera. After the company quietly filed for bankruptcy, however, those same winners were left in a “nightmare” situation.
Some lucky winners were took home the top prize: $5,000 a week for life. The payout would come in the form of one annual check for $260,000.
Publisher’s Clearing House Filed for Bankruptcy
PCH filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in April 2025. Lifetime prize winners were reportedly never made aware of the company’s financial struggles.
In its filing, the company reported liabilities between $50 million and $100 million, including the promised prizes, CNN reported.
ARB Interactive purchased PCH without the agreement to continue paying its “forever” prize winners.
“At ARB Interactive, we are committed to restoring and preserving the trust that has defined the Publishers Clearing House brand for decades,” the new owners said in a statement. “We understand the concerns surrounding unpaid prizes owed to past winners and are taking decisive steps to ensure that every future prize winner can participate with absolute confidence.”
Lifetime Prize Winners Were Left in the Dark
Washington resident and previous winner, John Wylie, told KGW that he wasn’t aware of any financial issues until his annual check didn’t show up as usual.
“This feels like a nightmare. I thought this was going to go on for the rest of my life, so I didn’t really have to worry about money,” he said, adding that he’s been forced to look for a job despite not having worked in a decade. “Why didn’t somebody give me a heads up? ‘Hey, we’re going out of business.’ It’s not a good way to treat anyone. Pretty sure I’m going to lose my home.”
Military vet and 2001 winners Matthew and Tamar Veatch called the situation “a big letdown.”
“You change people’s lives, and now, you messed it up,” they said, adding, “We trusted them.”
