Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre is still on the hook for $828,000 in misspent welfare money he received for speaking engagements that he never attended, a Mississippi auditor said.
State Auditor Shad White said Tuesday that Favre, 52, had not fulfilled his promise to repay $1.1 million in welfare money after making an initial payment of $500,000 last May. With interest, the former Green Bay Packers star must repay $828,000.
“Two years ago my office audited [the Department of Human Services],” White said in a statement. “After two years of work, we found tens of millions of dollars in misspending. Those findings have now been confirmed, this month, by an independent forensic audit commissioned by DHS.”
In all, White is seeking to recoup $96 million, including interest, of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families funds. The misspending surfaced in 2020 when former Mississippi DHS director John Davis and five others were indicted for their roles in the alleged welfare scheme, the Clarion Ledger reported. Brett DiBiase – the son of former professional wrestler Ted DiBiase – was among those indicted alongside Davis.
Brett DiBiase pleaded guilty in December 2020, while Davis and two others have pleaded not guilty while awaiting trial, according to the newspaper.
Favre is not facing criminal charges, but if the remaining funds aren’t repaid in 30 days, the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office could enforce the demand in court, White said.
White said Monday that Ted DiBiase Sr., the former WWE wrestler known as the “Million Dollar Man,” must repay $722,299 he received through his Heart of David Ministries, while his son Brett must return $3.9 million he earned as a motivational speaker for the welfare agency.
Brett DiBiase, who admitted his role in defrauding Mississippi’s welfare agency, must repay $225,950, White said.
Favre’s longtime agent, James “Bus” Cook, has previously said he had no knowledge of the NFL legend’s contract with the nonprofit Mississippi Community Education Center, as well as his promise to repay the welfare funds he received.
Cook did not return a request for comment Tuesday, Mississippi Today reported.