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Former Green Bay Packers legend and first-ballot NFL Hall-of-Famer Brett Favre is embroiled in an alleged fraud scandal resulting in dealings with Mississippi government funds. And, his problems do not seem to be going away.
The scandal revolves around the building of a new volleyball facility at his alma mater, Southern Miss, where his daughter also played volleyball.
The crux of the scandal is this, according to ESPN
Last May, Mississippi native Brett Favre became embroiled in the largest case of public fraud in state history. The Hall of Fame quarterback was one of the original 38 defendants named in a civil lawsuit filed by the Mississippi Department of Human Services (MDHS) seeking to recoup Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds that were diverted to the rich and powerful. A state audit found that at least $77 million in welfare funds was misspent.
At the heart of the dispute between MDHS and Favre is a volleyball facility built in 2019 at Favre’s alma mater, the University of Southern Mississippi. Favre donated his own money and helped raise funds for the facility, and text messages, which have become public in legal filings as part of the civil lawsuit, show he pushed state officials for funding during the time his daughter was on the team. The university’s athletic foundation received $5 million in TANF funds.
According to the state audit and the civil lawsuit, Favre was also paid $1.1 million from TANF funds for speeches the auditor says Favre never made. He eventually paid the money back, but the auditor has demanded he also pay $228,000 in interest. Prevacus, a company developing a concussion drug in which Favre was the top outside investor and stockholder, also received TANF funds.
Eight people have been indicted, six of whom have pleaded guilty for their involvement, including former MDHS director John Davis and Nancy New, the head of the Mississippi Community Education Center (MCEC), a nonprofit through which much of the funding flowed. Favre has denied wrongdoing and has not been criminally charged. Last week, a judge filed a suppression order limiting pre-trial publicity until the case, which now has 47 defendants, goes to trial or is resolved. A spokesperson for Favre declined to comment.
Of course, Brett Favre is trying to fight the lawsuit. But, he suffered a huge setback on Thursday in front of the Mississippi Supreme Court. Here’s Pro Football Talk with more details.
The Mississippi Supreme Court has spoken.
Brett Favre will remain in the civil lawsuit arising from the welfare scandal that allegedly resulted in the misappropriation of millions in welfare money.
Via the Associated Press, the highest court in one of the country’s poorest states decided on Wednesday that Favre will continue to be a defendant in the case. He wanted out in part because he repaid more than $1 million he received for personal appearances that he allegedly did not make.
“Favre repaid that, but he has neither repaid the $1.7 million he arranged for his drug company, Prevacus, to receive in exchange for giving Nancy New stock, nor the $5 million he orchestrated the [University of Southern Mississippi] Athletic Department to receive for a volleyball facility,” attorneys representing Mississippi wrote in their brief to the state’s highest court.
It appears the case will now proceed to a civil trial, with Brett Favre certain to be compelled to testify. As of now, he is not facing criminal charges.