State of Mississippi pays Favre $1.1 million for no-show appearances, audit finds

May 5, 2020 | 3:19 PM

JACKSON, Miss. — More than $90 million in welfare funds, meant to help Mississippi residents, were spent on things like concerts, sporting events and former NFL star Brett Favre, according to an audit release Monday.

A review of the Mississippi Department of Human Services identified more than $94 million in spending that appeared unverified or wrong. The agency gave the money to two nonprofits over the span of three years, according to CBS News. Most of the money came from the government’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, CBS reports.

The 104-page audit found the nonprofits spent nearly all of the money on things that had little or no benefit to Mississippi residents, CBS reports.

Favre Enterprises, tied to former Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre, received $1.1 million. Favre lives in Mississippi. The money went for three speaking engagements, one radio appearance and a keynote address. The audit found that Favre did not attend any of these events, CBS reports. Favre is not accused of any criminal wrongdoing in the report.

Another $1 million went to Ted Dibiase, a former pro wrestler known as “The Million Dollar Man” for services that didn’t appear to help impoverished residents.

Three cars, each worth more than $50,000, were also purchased and nearly $1 million went to lobbyists hired by the two non-profits, CBS reports.

The audit was released as the agency’s director and five other people face criminal embezzlement charges.