Thursday December 7, 2023
Law

Brett Favre Lays Blame for Mississippi Welfare Scandal on Former Governor

  • Favre's lawyers filed a motion to dismiss the Hall of Fame quarterback and his business from a civil case.
  • Favre denied knowing welfare money was the source of the $8 million of misspent funds linked to him.
Brett Favre sues Shannon Sharpe, Pat McAfee, and Mississippi State Auditor Shad White .
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Linkedin
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

Brett Favre’s legal team filed a motion to dismiss the Hall of Fame quarterback and his company as defendants in a lawsuit brought by Mississippi’s welfare department over millions of misspent funds, a document that heaps blame for the scheme upon former Gov. Phil Bryant and others. 

Favre is linked to $8 million of those funds from Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), a federal program meant to support very low-income families. In the Monday filing, Favre’s lawyers said that the Mississippi Department of Human Services “groundlessly and irresponsibly seeks to blame Favre for its own grossly improper and unlawful handling of welfare funds.”

The filing, however, could have another intention beyond seeking to extricate Favre and Favre Enterprises from the lawsuit filed in May that has more than 30 defendants. 

“Favre’s legal team is laying out their defense for both the state and the feds to potentially deter a criminal indictment,” federal criminal defense attorney Matthew Tympanick told Front Office Sports. “The filing seems to insinuate Favre is a non-participant in this overarching conspiracy.”

Brett Favre

Brett Favre’s Pocket Is Collapsing in Mississippi Welfare Scandal

The quarterback’s ties to a Mississippi welfare scandal have become more pronounced.
October 2, 2022

In the motion, Favre’s attorneys wrote their client “is a private citizen with no position in government” unlike Bryant, and the former head of the Mississippi Department of Human Services, John Davis. In September, Davis pleaded guilty to state and federal charges for his role in the scheme, and he’s among the defendants in the civil case. 

  • Favre allegedly pushed for $5 million from TANF funds to build a University of Southern Mississippi volleyball center. 
  • Favre was paid $1.1 million (also from TANF funds) to conduct speeches he didn’t perform. He repaid the money before the lawsuit was filed, although he still owes the interest.
  • Thanks to more lobbying by Favre, a pharma company he backed, Prevacus, received $2.1 million. The company, which developed two concussion-related products, was to move its base of operations to Mississippi but ran out of money months after those funds were received, and neither product has made it to market. 

“It’s ludicrous to say that Mr. Favre has been singled out in any way,” said Fletcher Freeman, the spokesperson for the Mississippi auditor’s office led by Shad White, whose 2019 audit first identified the misspent funds. “And as far as our office is concerned, Mr. Favre remains liable for $228,000 in interest for nonperformance of the contract in question.”

TANF funds have strict guidelines on how the money can be used, including a ban on funding construction projects like the Southern Miss volleyball center. Favre’s attorneys said their client had no role in the welfare department and Southern Miss approving a sublease agreement for the funds. 

Brett Favre standing next to his bust during NFL Hall of Fame induction ceremony
exclusive

The Early Warning That Linked Brett Favre to Impending Scandal

2019 call about link to welfare funds months before first scandal reports.
November 15, 2022

Nancy New and her son, Zach, pleaded guilty to funneling the TANF funds from the state through their nonprofit and Favre’s projects. The News are also defendants in the Mississippi lawsuit. 

“Davis and New did not (and could not have) authorized structuring the $5 million in funding as a sublease on their own,” Favre’s attorneys wrote. “They needed and obtained the approval and assistance of other State officials and agencies — including Governor Bryant, the Attorney General, the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning, Southern Miss itself, and the Southern Miss Athletic Foundation.”

Favre has not been charged with a crime, although two sources with knowledge of the matter told FOS that both Favre and Bryant remain of interest to federal investigators. Bryant is also not a defendant in the civil case, although he’s fought a subpoena in the case. 

In a September filing, Bryant’s legal team included several text exchanges between Bryant and Favre — including a previously unknown effort by Favre in 2019 to build a $1.5 million indoor football facility to help recruit Shedeur Sanders, the quarterback prospect son of Hall of Famer Deion Sanders.

Linkedin
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

The College Football Playoff is considering rotating TV networks for the national championship game.

CFP Considers Super Bowl-Like Rotation For National Championship Game

Multiple networks could share rights to the championship game, sources told FOS.
Lane Kiffin

Ole Miss, Lane Kiffin Lawyers Argue for Dismissal of Player Lawsuit

FOS obtained audio of Lane Kiffin's interaction with the player behind lawsuit.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

Why the NBA May Have Made Billions With Midseason Tournament

0:00
0:00

Featured Today

LSU Lady Tigers head coach Kim Mulkey reacts against the Iowa Hawkeyes during the NCAA Womens Basketball Final Four National Championship at American Airlines Center.

Who Is The Highest-Paid Women’s College Basketball Coach?

LSU rewarded Kim Mulkey after winning a national title after her second year leading the program.
The Pac-12’s Collapse Will Have Ripple Effects on College Basketball.
November 6, 2023

The Pac-12’s Collapse Will Have Ripple Effects on College Basketball

The existing Pac-12 host a college basketball season for the last time.
Favre Presley
November 3, 2023

Brett Favre Controversy Casts Shadow Over Mississippi Gubernatorial Race

Candidate Brandon Presley has made the scandal one of his talking points.
Josh Harris
November 1, 2023

Commanders Owner Josh Harris Begins Remodeling Product on the Field

The team added more draft picks ahead of what could be an offseason of change.

Careers

Powered By

Careers in Sports

Looking for a new job? Check out these featured listings and search for openings all over the world.
FanDuel
Multiple Locations
Adidas
Multiple Locations
Creative Artists Agency
Multiple Locations
Deadspin

Coverage of a Fan’s Chiefs Getup Sparks Outrage. Legal Fallout? Not So Fast

Deadspin has faced criticism after Monday story on race.
Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle Michael Oher on the bench against the Houston Texans in the fourth quarter at Reliant Stadium. The Texans defeated the Ravens 43-13.
November 10, 2023

Tuohy Family Paid Michael Oher Over $138K For ‘The Blind Side’

It contradicts Oher's original claims that he was not compensated.
Lane Kiffin
November 21, 2023

Ole Miss Player Alleges Lane Kiffin ‘Intended to Harm’ Him in Latest Filing

Ole Miss and Kiffin filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit earlier this month.
Sponsored

NHL’s Chris Foster on Amplifying Content Distribution With Automation

Learn how the NHL is using WSC Sports to increase fan engagement.
Lane Kiffin
November 10, 2023

Judge Issues Stay in Lawsuit Filed Against Ole Miss, Lane Kiffin

Pause comes after Ole Miss, Kiffin file a motion to dismiss.
November 8, 2023

Settlement Concludes Latest Challenge of MLB’s Antitrust Exemption

The trial was slated to begin on Nov. 13 before the settlement was reached.
Detailed view of the SRR initials on the Nike Epic React flyknit shoes of Sanya Richards-Ross during the 125th Penn Relays at Franklin Field.
November 8, 2023

Nike Sues New Balance, Skechers Over Flyknit Technology

Nike has previously sued Adidas, Puma, and Lululemon for the same infringement.
Former NFL player Tom Brady on the field before the game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Las Vegas Raiders at AT&T Stadium.
November 7, 2023

Athlete FTX Endorsers Face Uphill Battle After Bankman-Fried Conviction

Tom Brady and Shaquille O’Neal are among the celebrities being sued.