The Brett Favre-Mississippi welfare scandal reached new heights Monday with the release of text messages once again linking Favre to the misuse of state welfare funds for the University of Southern Mississippi’s volleyball stadium.
Favre is accused of trying to funnel $5 million into the new compound built at his alma mater in Southern Miss, where his daughter played volleyball in 2018 in collaboration with former Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant and Nancy New.
Mississippi todayAnna Wolf has revealed purported text messages shared by a lawyer for Neo, a nonprofit that has pleaded guilty to federal wire fraud related to the widespread misuse of funds worth $77 million in federal temporary assistance to families in need.
The transcripts reportedly show Bryant guiding Favre on how to write a funding proposal that the Mississippi Department of Human Services would accept.
One text message shows former Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant asking Neo, who has since pleaded guilty to a series of federal and state charges over the scheme, for help regarding Favre and his “project.”
Bryant wrote a new text message in July 2019: “Brett Favre just left. Can we help him with his project? We should meet soon to see how I can make sure we keep your projects on track.
When Favre asked Bryant how the new agency director might affect their plans to fund the volleyball field, Bryant assured him, “I’m going to deal with this long story but I had to make a change. But I’ll call Nancy and see what it takes.”
According to the report, interested parties were able to find a loophole regarding the disbursement of temporary assistance funds to families in need, with the Mississippi Department of Human Services providing $4 million to upgrade the facility.
Favre has reportedly been questioned by the FBI in connection with a $1.1 million payment to him.
Brett Favre has been accused of taking welfare money to build a college volleyball facility
The text messages also show Favre asking New, in August 2017: “Is there anyway the media can find out where and how much?”
New rejected these allegations in a follow-up text. She is said to be assisting prosecutors in the civil case as part of the plea deal, according to Mississippi Today.
Favre was reportedly questioned by the FBI for his alleged involvement in the welfare fraud case.
He got $1.1 million to promote the volleyball initiative and in a text message to New – according to Wolfe – he said he “can score some radio ads” and “any compensation can go to USM”.
Favre is the winner of the NFL Hall of Famer and Super Bowl in 1998 (pictured) with the Packers
The Green Bay Packers legend, 52, who has not been charged with a crime, was said to have been paid in cash in 2017 and 2018, as part of a broader $70 million scandal — along with a professional wrestler, and a horse ranch. The aforementioned volleyball complex.
NBC News She reported that Favre, who has since returned $1.1 million but not the $228,000 interest demanded by the Mississippi auditor, has already spoken to the FBI in connection with the case.
Favre previously defended himself on social media, posting in October 2021 that he did not know where the money came from, and that he believed he was being paid to participate in three years of commercials.
The money paid to Favre allegedly came from the Social Welfare Fund for Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), and came with guidance from former Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant. Bryant also denied knowing that the money came from welfare funds.
Favre paid $1.1 million and claimed that he believed the money was for the commercials he was working on
Speaking on Twitter, Favre said last year: ‘I’m doing everything I can to support this investigation to make things right for Mississippi residents, and I’ve shared everything I know, which is that I’ve been paid for three years of commercials. That’s what I did, and I paid taxes on the money, as I should.
Of course the money was returned because I wouldn’t intentionally take money meant to help our needy neighbors, but Chad White’s continued push of this lie that the money was for no-show events is something I can’t be silent about. ”
Shad White is the state auditor who first discovered misappropriation and fraud, according to the report.
In late July, a Mississippi state attorney was fired after a subpoena was issued to find out if former NFL star Brett Favre had forged a $5 million donation related to the construction of a 2018 NFL volleyball stadium.
Part of Pigott’s subpoena considered a $5 million check that had been transferred to the facility.
Bigott said to The New York Times That Favre agreed to donate $5 million to build the building.
But the investigator – the former federal prosecutor – claimed Favre instead requested $5 million from the Mississippi Community Education Center, which was arrested for misusing welfare funds in April.
Favre is a Super Bowl champion and three-time NFL MVP who has played for the Falcons, Packers, Jets and Vikings, but is best known for his fifteen years as a Green Bay quarterback.
He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016.
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