Hall of Famer Brett Favre reportedly set to testify in Mississippi welfare fraud lawsuit
Brett Favre is due to answer questions under oath later this month in the massive welfare fraud scandal in Mississippi
Former Green Bay Packers star and Hall of Famer Brett Favre will testify under oath later this month about the misspending of federal welfare money in Mississippi, according to The Associated Press.
Favre has been connected to the scandal in Mississippi, where he and others allegedly used public money that was intended to help people in one of the country’s poorest states to fund a volleyball facility at his alma mater, among other things.
Favre, per the report, will give sworn testimony at a Hattiesburg, Mississippi, hotel on Oct. 26.
Favre allegedly accepted $1.1 million in federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds in exchange for no-show speeches dating back to 2017. He has since repaid the funds, though he was slow to do so, but he is now facing a lawsuit from the state over $228,000 in interest.
The lawsuit alleged that $5 million of TANF funds were spent to build a new volleyball arena at Southern Miss, where Favre attended, while his daughter played for the team. Text messages allegedly show Favre and nonprofit organizer Nancy New — who has since pleaded guilty to criminal charges related to the scandal — working with former Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant to channel those funds. New was also accused of funneling $1.7 million in TANF funds to a pharmaceutical startup in Florida that was run by Favre and a business partner.
Favre was not arrested and is not facing any criminal charges in the matter. He claims he didn’t realize the funds used to build the arena at Southern Miss were intended for welfare recipients. Favre filed a motion earlier this year to try and dismiss the civil charges against him, but a judge denied that request. He is one of 47 defendants in the lawsuit. In total, state and federal prosecutors alleged that “well-connected people” funneled $77 million in federal welfare funds away from their intended recipients.
Favre played in the league from 1991-2010, almost exclusively for the Packers. He led the Packers to a Super Bowl XXXI win, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2016. He sits fourth on both the NFL’s all-time passing yards and passing touchdowns list. During his 20 seasons in the NFL, Favre earned just shy of $142 million.
