Brett Favre has been in hot water with the state of Mississippi over misappropriated funds for a while. Now, the other shoe has finally dropped and he’s being sued over it.
According to Mississippi Today, the Mississippi Department of Human Services has filed a civil lawsuit against various individuals or entities that reportedly took welfare money from the state “for their enrichment or for other private purposes incompatible with … the alleviation of poverty.”
Among the 38 defendants named in the lawsuit is former NFL quarterback Brett Favre, former running back Marcus Dupree, former linebacker Paul Lacoste, and retired WWE wrestler Ted “The Million Dollar Man” DiBiase Sr.
“I do not understand these people,” attorney Brad Pigott told Mississippi Today by email. “What kind of person would decide that money the law required to be spent helping the poorest people in the poorest state would be better spent being doled out by them to their own families, their own pet projects, and their own favorite celebrities?”
Last October, Favre was told by Mississippi State Auditor Shad White to return $828,000 that he received from welfare funds that should have gone to needy families. While Favre did eventually pay it back after a protracted process, he did not include interest owed in that repayment.
Mississippi Today released a report last month exploring the relationship between Favre, a drug company that he invested in, funds used for public welfare, and former Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant. According to the report, Bryant greased some wheels for biomedical startup Prevacus, which Favre invested in, and was later granted shares in the company when his government position ended.
While Favre will always be considered a legend for what he accomplished on the football field, and will always be revered in Green Bay, his reputation off the field continues to take hits.
Hey cool, that's about a million dollars for every interception Favre ever threw in season-ending playoff losses. https://t.co/Tx4qkBL0pF
— Will Bardwell (@willbardwell) May 9, 2022
Holy hell this is a Mississippi story if I’ve ever seen one. The corruption in our state is ages old and somehow the voters seem to be okay with it. https://t.co/IVPO3ONhj4
— Cindy D (@cz_def) May 9, 2022
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.