Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

OPINION:

If Favre is sacked in Mississippi fraud scandal, this one could really hurt

The pocket is collapsing around Brett Favre.

We don’t yet know if the 52-year-old Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback will get sacked, if he’ll be criminally charged for his role in the biggest case of public corruption in Mississippi history. For obtaining (cajoling, arm-twisting, glad-handing) $5 million in federal dollars intended to lift low-income families to instead build volleyball facilities at his alma mater, the University of Southern Mississippi — where his daughter was playing volleyball.

For pocketing another $1.1 million between 2017 and 2018 to promote the money-glutton nonprofit organization at the heart of the byzantine scam, which has been thoroughly exposed and chronicled by the journalists at Mississippi Today and other outlets. (Favre paid the money back in two installments in 2020, though without an additional $228,000 in interest the state says he owes.)

Favre reportedly earned $138.7 million in salary in two decades in the NFL. Which begs: Why didn’t he just pay for the dang gym and accompanying beach volleyball facility, instead of incessantly poking public officials, all the way up to former Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant, with whom he connected prolifically via text messages over several years in pursuit of the funds.

Favre’s just one shamed face — the most famous one, undoubtedly — among many who, according to Mississippi state auditors, misused public funds on all manner of foolishness. Pet projects. Shady charities. Personal lavishness. Ill-spending all to benefit the rich, famous or politically connected. (Favre checks all three boxes.)

They dipped into a honey pot federal program called Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), which provides states and territories with money to support low-income families with children to, according to its website, “achieve economic self-sufficiency.”

Not play volleyball.

The main face in this slippery stage is John Davis, the former Mississippi Department of Human Services director who was charged with disbursing the funds. Last week, he pleaded guilty to two federal and 18 state and local counts related to the fraud. As part of the plea deal, he agreed to testify for prosecutors in state and federal court against other charged defendants.

The pocket is closing.

Back in April, Nancy and Zacker New, mother and son, pleaded guilty to state and federal charges in the case. They ran the Mississippi Community Education Center (MCEC), a nonprofit operating as Families First for Mississippi, which state auditor Shad White says misspent millions from TANF. They’ve also agreed to testify for prosecutors.

The pocket is collapsing.

In a Sept. 22 court filing, White noted: “The evidence detailed herein suggests, quite strongly, that Gov. Bryant knew MDHS funds were being sought by Favre to construct the Volleyball Facility; approved of the use of MDHS funds to construct the Volleyball Facility and participated in securing MDHS funds for construction of the Volleyball Facility.”

Favre is not alone among ex-athletes with happy feet inside the collapsing pocket. Mississippi native Marcus Dupree, the Oklahoma Sooner one-season wonder and pro bust, as reported by Mississippi Today, is alleged by White to have engaged in a six-year lease agreement with MCEC to rent his 15-acre horse ranch in Madison County for $9,500 a month, covering the mortgage on the property. (Ostensibly, kids were to ride the horses as a form of mentoring.) Dupree was also employed by the nonprofit, earning $100,000 to mentor youths. White sent the Marcus Dupree Foundation a demand letter seeking the return of $789,534 TANF funds.

White also sent demand letters to former World Wrestling Enterprises wrestler Ted DiBiase Sr. for $722,299 paid to his Heart of David Ministries; to his son, retired wrestler Ted DiBiase Jr. for $3.9 million; and to son Brett DiBiase for $3.9 million. Among other allegations, Brett DiBiase is said to have spent $160,000 on drug rehab treatment in Malibu, Calif., and was paid $250,000 for a job for which he did not meet qualifications.

Favre claims ignorance. Through his attorney, Bud Holmes, he repeatedly professes not knowing the funds were meant to aid low-income families — not volleyball players. That said, text messages revealed in state court documents filed last month by an MCEC attorney show Favre texted Nancy New on Aug. 3, 2017: “If you were to pay me is there anyway (sic) the media can find out where it came from and how much?”

“No,” she responded, “we never have had that information publicized. I understand you being uneasy about that though.”

At the end of last week, ESPN reported that Favre, based on text messages found in a 62-page court filing objecting to a subpoena for the former governor’s documents related to the fraud, still pressured state leaders for more funding for the sports facilities even after Bryant said the misuse of federal funds “in the form of Grants for Children and adults in the Low Income Community” could be illegal.

“Use of these funds (is) tightly controlled,” Bryant wrote in a text July 28, 2019, according to the report. “Any improper use could result in violation of Federal Law. Auditors are currently reviewing the use of these funds.”

Favre, ESPN reported, according to the filing, texted Bryant on Sept. 4, 2019, after both men attended a meeting when it was made known that $1.8 million more was needed to complete construction.

“We obviously need your help big time and time is working against us,” Favre texted. “And we feel that your name is the perfect choice for this facility and we are not taking NO for an answer.”

Favre has not been charged with any crime.

Yet the pocket …

Recently, Owens, the district attorney, was asked if charges could be filed against Favre or Bryant. “We are looking at all individuals that have been identified,” Owens responded.

White, last month during an appearance on CNN, said: “Now we know that Mr. Favre not only knew that he was receiving money from this nonprofit funded by taxpayer dollars, we know that the funding for that was a sham, and we know that he knows that, too. And we know he didn’t want the media or the public to find out about this. Thank goodness for the men and women of the State Auditor’s Office who brought this to light to foil his desires and that the public is able to see how taxpayer dollars were spent in the state of Mississippi.”

Favre was sacked 525 times during his NFL career, trailing only fellow retiree Ben Roethlisberger (554) and age-defying Tom Brady (546, and counting). The pocket is disintegrating. This next sack could really, really hurt.

Roy Johnson is a 2021 Pulitzer Prize finalist for commentary and winner of 2021 Edward R. Murrow prize for podcasts: “Unjustifiable,” co-hosted with John Archibald. He wrote this for al.com.