NFL
Former packers QB Brett Favre repays $600k of $1.1m tied to welfare fraud scheme
Brett Favre has repaid $600,000 to the state of Mississippi after the the former Packers QB received $1.1m for appearances and speeches despite not being present at the events.
Quarterback legend Brett Favre has repaid the state of Mississippi $600,000 in welfare money he received for speeches he didn’t give.
According to the state auditor’s office, the former NFL signal caller improperly received welfare money as part of a welfare fraud scheme involving misspent funds (per the New York Times). Auditor Shad White confirmed that Favre paid the $600,000 this week but warned that the 52-year-old Hall of Famer could be sued if he does not pay the remaining $228,000 owed in interest payments.
“This week Brett Favre repaid $600,000,” White said in a statement to the Times. “If Mr. Favre does not repay the full amount within 30 days of our demand, the attorney general will be responsible for enforcing the payment of the interest and has the option to file suit.”
Favre was among 10 individuals that received letters from the state auditor's office demanding the repayment of tens of millions of dollars connected to the welfare scam. The others included former professional wrestlers Ted DiBiase Sr. and Ted DiBiase Jr., who were ordered to repay $4.6 million.
NFL News:
Favre received $1.1m from fraud scheme
The former Greenbay packers player received a total of $1.1 million "for appearances, promotions, autographs and speaking engagements", despite not being present for these events. He paid $500,000 back in May 2020 and vowed to pay the rest in installments over the next two months.
According to a damning audit in May 2020, the state of Mississippi had allowed millions of dollars designated as anti-poverty funds to be used for lobbyists, football tickets, religious concerts and fitness programs for state lawmakers, which were channeled through two non-profit groups. The audit found that Favre had been paid by the state's nonprofit Community Education Center for speaking appearances he never made.
Last year, Favre posted a series of tweets in which he insisted he had had never received any money for any obligations that he did not meet, also claiming that he had donated nearly $10 million through his charity to help underprivileged children in Mississippi and Wisconsin, according to the times.
“I would certainly never do anything to take away from the children I have fought to help!” he wrote. “I love Mississippi and I would never knowingly do anything to take away from those that need it most.”