NFL great Brett Favre appears to have deeper ties to Mississippi welfare scandal: report
Favre has been wrapped up in the state's scandal since 2020
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NFL legend Brett Favre is reportedly wrapped up in another scandal in Mississippi.
Favre is accused of having "special access" to former Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant and influenced where the state’s welfare funds were delivered, including a $5 million grant for a volleyball stadium at the quarterback’s alma mater – the University of Southern Mississippi – and a pharmaceutical company, Prevacus, the quarterback backed, according to a Mississippi Today report Wednesday.
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Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant, left, looks on during a meeting of the National Governors Association at the White House on Feb. 23, 2015. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)
The former Green Bay Packers quarterback was also given $1.1 million. Favre had repaid the remaining $600,000 to the state last year over the money he received. But the state auditor said in October that Favre still owed $228,000 in interest.
Allegations of misspending money from the state’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program came to light in 2020 when the former director of the Mississippi Department of Human Services and five others were indicted. Nancy New, who was the leader of the Mississippi Community Education Center that paid Favre, was among those who were indicted in the scandal.
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Former Packers quarterback Brett Favre is inducted into the Ring of Honor at the halftime ceremony during the Dallas Cowboys game on Oct. 16, 2016, in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Hannah Foslien/Getty Images / Getty Images)
According to the report, Favre offered to give Bryant and New shares in the pharmaceutical company. While Favre initially denied any knowledge that the funds were being misused, Mississippi Today published text messages appearing to show just how much reach Favre had in the state’s government.
Favre allegedly told Prevacus owner Jake Vanlandingham to offer Bryant shares but didn’t want to get the governor or anyone "in trouble." New was also given shares to Prevacus and is accused of paying $2.15 million to the company and its affiliate PreSolMD in exchange for stock, according to the report. Bryant denied ever considering taking the stock.
John Davis, the state’s then-director of Department of Human Services, was also wrapped up in the scandal after Favre allegedly decided it was a good idea to possibly buy him a Ford Raptor.
Favre has not been accused of any crime and declined to comment on the report to Mississippi Today.
Brett Favre rolls out during Super Bowl XXXI, a 35-21 Green Bay Packers victory over the New England Patriots on Jan. 26, 1996, at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans. (Peter Brouillet/Getty Images / Getty Images)
New and her son, Zachary, were indicted in March 2021 on wire fraud and other charges that accused them of improperly obtaining millions of dollars from the state. Each pleaded not guilty to all charges.
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Davis, former wrestler Brett DiBiase, former Department of Human Services employee Latimer Smith, and former accountant for New’s nonprofit Anne McGrew were all charged in February 2020.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.