Brett Favre Repays $600,000 in Mississippi Welfare Fraud Case

Brett Favre, the Hall of Fame backmost who was raised successful Mississippi, this week paid the authorities backmost $600,000 that helium owed aft helium improperly received payment wealth arsenic portion of an extended fraud scheme, according to the authorities auditor’s office.

But Mr. Favre could inactive beryllium sued if helium does not wage the authorities the remaining $228,000 successful involvement that helium owes, the auditor, Shad White, said.

Two weeks ago, Mr. White issued a request to Mr. Favre for $828,000, saying it was the outstanding equilibrium that helium owed aft helium was improperly paid $1.1 cardinal successful payment funds successful December 2017 and June 2018. Mr. Favre received the wealth from the Mississippi Community Education Center, a nonprofit organization, successful speaking fees for appearances that helium ne'er made, Mr. White said.

Mr. Favre had nary cognition that the wealth had been intended to payment needy families, Mr. White said. Mr. Favre made a $500,000 outgo to Mr. White’s bureau successful May 2020 and agreed to wage the remaining $600,000 implicit the adjacent fewer months, the auditor said.

But aft Mr. Favre failed to wage remaining balance, Mr. White issued a request this period that Mr. Favre wage the $600,000 helium inactive owed arsenic good arsenic an further $228,000 successful involvement successful 30 days or, helium said, Mr. Favre could beryllium sued.

“This week Brett Favre repaid $600,000,” Mr. White said successful a connection connected Wednesday. “If Mr. Favre does not repay the afloat magnitude wrong 30 days of our demand, the lawyer wide volition beryllium liable for enforcing the outgo of the involvement and has the enactment to record suit.”

A typical for Mr. Favre did not instantly respond to a connection seeking remark connected Wednesday night.

Mr. Favre, 52, grew up successful Mississippi, played shot astatine the University of Southern Mississippi, and spent 20 seasons successful the National Football League, astir of them with the Green Bay Packers, with whom helium won Super Bowl XXXI successful 1997.

He was among much than 10 radical who were sent letters from Mr. White this month, demanding repayment of tens of millions of dollars connected to an extensive fraud strategy involving misspent payment aid.

According to a scathing audit successful May 2020, the authorities of Mississippi had allowed millions of dollars successful anti-poverty funds to beryllium utilized successful ways that did small oregon thing to assistance the poor, with 2 nonprofit groups alternatively utilizing the wealth connected lobbyists, shot tickets, spiritual concerts and fittingness programs for authorities lawmakers.

In a bid of tweets past year, Mr. Favre wrote that helium had appeared successful ads for a assets halfway successful Mississippi that had been a recipient of payment grants. He said that helium had ne'er received immoderate wealth for immoderate obligations that helium did not meet.

Mr. Favre besides wrote that helium had donated astir $10 cardinal done his foundation to assistance underprivileged and underserved children successful Mississippi and Wisconsin.

“I would surely ne'er bash thing to instrumentality distant from the children I person fought to help!” helium wrote. “I emotion Mississippi and I would ne'er knowingly bash thing to instrumentality distant from those that request it most.”

Mr. Favre was not the lone salient fig whom Mr. White had threatened to writer for outstanding debts connected to the payment scheme.

Heart of David Ministry, a Christian ministry that is controlled by the erstwhile W.W.E. wrestler Ted DiBiase Sr., who is known arsenic the Million Dollar Man, indispensable repay $722,299, Mr. White said earlier this month.

One of Mr. DiBiase’s sons, Ted DiBiase Jr., who is besides a erstwhile nonrecreational wrestler, indispensable repay $3.9 million, Mr. White said. Another son, Brett DiBiase, who is besides a erstwhile nonrecreational wrestler and was charged successful transportation with the fraud strategy past year, indispensable wage $225,950, Mr. White said.

In December, Brett DiBiase pleaded blameworthy to making fraudulent statements, prosecutors said.

As portion of a sentencing agreement, prosecutors said that they would urge that Brett DiBiase person a five-year suspended condemnation if helium cooperates successful the prosecution of different defendants indicted successful the payment strategy and pays afloat restitution successful the magnitude of $48,000.