NFL Legend Brett Favre Says He’s Been “Unjustly Smeared In The Media” Amid Claims Of Embezzling Millions Of Dollars In Welfare Money From The State Of Mississippi

NFL Legend Brett Favre Says He’s Been “Unjustly Smeared In The Media” Amid Claims Of Embezzling Millions Of Dollars In Welfare Money From The State Of Mississippi

Former football quarterback Brett Favre is denying all allegations of his involvement in committing welfare fraud.

The Mississippi Department of Human Services has sued Brett Favre, among others, for “squandering” over $20 million from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, a program that offers benefits to households with individuals under the age of eighteen.

Brett Favre

According to reports, Brett Favre supposedly joined forces with Governor Phil Bryant (served 2012 – 2020), Mississippi Department of Human Services Executive Director John Davis, and Mississippi Community Education Center Operator Nancy New to use funds from the initiative to develop a volleyball facility at the University of Southern Mississippi.

However, in a recent statement, Favre claimed that he had no idea that a grant ($5 million) given for the construction of the center was funneled from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. In fact, he expressed that his only efforts were of goodwill.

The 53-year-old said,

“I have been unjustly smeared in the media. I have done nothing wrong, and it is past time to set the record straight. No one ever told me, and I did not know, that funds designated for welfare recipients were going to the University or me. I tried to help my alma mater USM, a public Mississippi state university, raise funds for a wellness center. My goal was and always will be to improve the athletic facilities at my university.”

Favre proceeded to elaborate by further explaining where he thought the money had come from:

“State agencies provided the funds to Nancy New’s charity, the Mississippi Community Education Center, which then gave the funds to the University, all with the full knowledge and approval of other State agencies, including the State-wide Institute for Higher Learning, the Governor’s office, and the Attorney General’s office. I was told that the legal work to ensure that these funds could be accepted by the university was done by State attorneys and State employees.”

An auditor of the state’s comments questioned Favre’s stance, as he pointed out the fact that–though not documented–the retired NFL player knew that the funds were from the government.

“Based on the documents that have come out publicly, mainly through filings in the civil case, we can see text messages that show that Mr. Favre knew that the money that was being paid out was coming from John Davis, who is the head of the Mississippi Department of Human Services and also coming from the non-profit that was receiving money from DHS. So, he knows that it’s government money basically, and he knows that the money is coming from the Department of Human Services.”

The state of Mississippi is holding Favre accountable for the $1.1 million that he received for fundraising, which he confessed to returning. However, the interest amount is what he has yet to pay back.

No criminal charges have been brought against Favre right now, but his show, The SiriusXM Blitz With Brett Favre and Bruce Murray, has been halted, as well as his weekly appearances on ESPN’s Milwaukee, as a result of the civil lawsuit.

What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments below!

[VIA]