• Loading stock data...
Tuesday, September 16, 2025
exclusive
Law

The Early Warning That Linked Brett Favre to Impending Scandal

  • An associate in a project involving Favre received a call in 2019 to warn about approaching welfare probe.
  • The call came months before the first stories that attached Favre to Mississippi scandal.
Brett Favre standing next to his bust during NFL Hall of Fame induction ceremony
Aaron Doster/USA TODAY Sports

Months before the first news reports linked Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre to the Mississippi welfare scandal, one of his business associates got a call. 

“I wanted you to know that Jake and Brett are going to be part of the biggest welfare fraud case in the history of the state of Mississippi,” the caller said. “It may become the biggest welfare scandal in the history of the country.”

That caller then hung up. 

Front Office Sports confirmed the contents of that call in late 2019 with multiple sources with knowledge of the conversation that mentioned Favre and Prevacus founder Jake VanLandingham. 

Those individuals were granted anonymity by FOS because of the ongoing investigation into the matter. 

The first report that introduced Favre’s potential role in the scandal was published by Mississippi Today on Feb. 27, 2020 as state investigators began to unravel how at least $77 million in welfare funds were misspent. 

Both Favre and VanLandingham have said they didn’t know the source of the $2.2 million of funds Prevacus received came from Temporary Assistance for Needy Families funds, a federal program that assists families living well under the poverty line. 

“That’s horse— t,” one source involved with Prevacus at the time said. “They all knew.”

Another source familiar with internal conversations at Prevacus at the time told FOS that Favre and others at Prevacus had knowledge the funds were coming from the state’s welfare agency, and an investor presentation mentions the state welfare agency under “funding opportunities.”

“Favre said the money was coming from a state fund for children’s health and safety,” a source told FOS in October

Mississippi State Auditor Shad White, who took to Twitter last year to respond to Favre, is among the handful of agencies investigating the misappropriated welfare funds. White hasn’t stated to FOS or any other outlet that Favre knew the source of the money came from TANF funds.

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

Favre has been linked to about $8 million in misspent welfare funds in total. 

Outside Prevacus, Favre also received $1.1 million to give speeches that he did not perform, and he lobbied for $5 million that went toward a volleyball center at the University of Southern Mississippi, his alma mater.

Favre and VanLandingham are among several defendants in a lawsuit filed earlier this year by the Mississippi Department of Human Services as the agency seeks to recover the misspent funds. 

Both are also on the radar of federal and state investigators as part of a criminal investigation that has already brought charges against several figures in the case, according to a source with knowledge of the investigation. 

Those individuals include former welfare agency director John Davis along with Nancy New and her son, Zach, who were in charge of a nonprofit where the welfare money was funneled through and to projects involving Favre.

Favre and VanLandingham have not been charged with any crimes, although a source told FOS that federal investigators have made new efforts in recent weeks to pinpoint Favre’s alleged involvement in securing the funds. 

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

exclusive

Field of 68’s Jeff Goodman, Rob Dauster to Lead On3’s College Hoops..

Goodman previously worked for ESPN, CBS Sports, and Stadium.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 19: A detailed view of the MLB Debut patch on the jersey of Patrick Monteverde #44 of the Miami Marlins prior to game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on April 19, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The Tiny Jersey Patch at the Center of the MLB Rookie Card..

Autographed cards containing a piece of baseball history have upended the market.

Eagles-Chiefs Super Bowl Rematch Could Set More NFL Ratings Records

Fox will nationally televise Sunday afternoon’s matchup.

ESPN’s ‘MNF’ Ratings Up 8% As NFL Surges to Strong Start

ESPN posts its second-best Week 1 “Monday Night Football” audience.

Featured Today

Sep 7, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills fans react during the fourth quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at Highmark Stadium.

As Bills Ascend, Their Next Frontier Lies in Canada

Buffalo and the powerful Canadian entity MLSE come together in a new pact.
opinion
September 9, 2025

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly from NFL’s Week 1 Broadcasts

Many viewers decried the addition of ads to “NFL RedZone.”
Aug 23, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) leads the team onto the field for warm ups before a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium.
September 7, 2025

Slow Burn: The NFL’s Private-Equity Era So Far

Three deals have been struck to date. But the league is bullish.
Tennis
September 5, 2025

The US Open Is Groaning Under the Weight of Its Own Success

New York’s tennis major is more popular than ever.
Jon Gruden

NFL Asks Nevada Supreme Court to Rehear Jon Gruden Case

The arbitration fight between Gruden and the league continues.
Blue Jays
exclusive
September 5, 2025

MLBPA, DraftKings Agree to Settle NIL Suit

MLBPA said DraftKings and other sportsbooks improperly used players’ NIL.
Hosszu
September 8, 2025

World Aquatics Reaches $4.6 Million Settlement With Pro Swimmers

Meanwhile, the International Swimming League’s case heads to trial in January.
Sponsored

How World Series Champ Dexter Fowler Became a Premier League Team Owner

Dexter Fowler discusses navigating retirement and embracing new roles as an owner & investor.
Nov 9, 2024; Avondale, Arizona, USA; 23XI Racing team owner Michael Jordan during qualifying for the Cup Series championship race at Phoenix Raceway.
September 4, 2025

Jordan Can’t Bar Charter Sales Because NASCAR Agreed Not to Sell Charters

The contentious antitrust suit is slated to go to trial this December.
Feb 2, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Los Angeles Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue scratches his head after calling a time out as forward Kawhi Leonard (2) walks past in the first half against the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena.
September 4, 2025

Kawhi Leonard’s Alleged ‘No Show’ Job Is Latest in Complex Clippers Relationship

Leonard’s high-profile 2019 recruitment continues to generate headlines years later.
Megan Romano
September 4, 2025

The $800 Million Enhanced Games Lawsuit Could Have Legs

Antitrust experts say the case could have some merit.
Oct 15, 2012; Dallas, TX, USA; A view of the Fox Sports Southwest logo during the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Houston Rockets at the American Airlines Center. The Mavericks defeated the Rockets 123-104.
September 3, 2025

Fox, Hairstylist Settle Bombshell Sexual Harassment Lawsuit

Skip Bayless, Charlie Dixon, and Joy Taylor all denied claims of wrongdoing.