Green Bay Packers legend Brett Favre is involved in a scandal after Anna Wolfe of Mississippi Today published a new report claiming that Favre received over $8 million in funds from Mississippi officials, which was backed up with alleged texts of Favre pressuring welfare officials for the money.
The report alleges that Favre had special access to Gov. Phil Bryant and people who controlled the state’s welfare spending, including the state’s welfare chief and a grant-funded nonprofit director. The allegations against Favre have surfaced after the former director of the Mississippi Department of Human Services and five others were indicted after further investigation of misspending within the state’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program.
Nancy New was among those indicted, and she gave Favre $5 million in grant funds to build a volleyball stadium at his alma mater at the University of Southern Mississippi. The payment could be part of forthcoming civil litigation.
Prevacus, the pharmaceutical company backed by Favre, received $2.15 million in allegedly stolen funds from the Mississippi Department of Human Services. The report also alleges that Favre collected an additional $1.1 million welfare dollars personally. Favre has since returned the $1 million, but an auditor says he still owes $228,000 in interest on the money he improperly received.
Texts posted by Mississippi Today allege that Favre told Prevacus owner Jake Vanlandingham to offer Gov. Bryant shares in Prevacus, but Bryant denied ever considering taking the stock. Nancy New is accused of giving the $2.15 million to Prevacus in exchange for shares of the stock.
John Davis, the state’s then-director of Department of Human Services, has been named in the scandal, as Favre allegedly bought him a top-of-the-line Ford F-150 Raptor. Davis was arrested in 2020 on 5 counts of conspiracy, embezzlement, or fraud.
Favre hasn't been accused of any crime, but according to the report, Current MDHS Director Bob Anderson previously stated that the department would be filing civil charges against Favre pending approval from the attorney general.
Source: Mississippi Today
