Favre denies wrongdoing in Miss. welfare probe

Brett Favre says helium has done thing incorrect and has been "smeared" successful the media successful effect to his engagement successful a sprawling payment ungraded successful Mississippi, according to a connection fixed to FOX News Digital.

"I person been unjustly smeared successful the media," Favre said successful the statement, which FOX News Digital published Tuesday. "I person done thing wrong, and it is past clip to acceptable the grounds straight.

"No 1 ever told me, and I did not know, that funds designated for payment recipients were going to the University oregon me. I tried to assistance my alma mater USM [University of Southern Mississippi], a nationalist Mississippi authorities university, rise funds for a wellness center. My extremity was and ever volition beryllium to amended the diversion facilities astatine my university."

According to a Mississippi authorities audit, $77 cardinal successful Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds were diverted from the poorest radical successful America's poorest authorities toward affluent and almighty Mississippians. Six radical person been arrested successful the case, 5 of whom person pleaded blameworthy to authorities charges. Favre has not been criminally charged but is simply a suspect successful a civilian suit filed by the state.

His alma mater, Southern Miss, received $5 cardinal successful TANF money, transferred from the Department of Human Services to a nonprofit and, eventually, to USM's Athletic Foundation, the audit said. A volleyball facility, Wellness Center, was aboriginal built connected campus. Text messages amusement Favre pushed for backing for a volleyball installation erstwhile his girl was connected the team.

"State agencies provided the funds to Nancy New's charity, the Mississippi Community Education Center, which past gave the funds to the University, each with the afloat cognition and support of different State agencies," Favre's connection continued, "including the State-wide Institute for Higher Learning, the Governor's bureau and the Attorney General's office."

"I was told that the ineligible enactment to guarantee that these funds could beryllium accepted by the assemblage was done by State attorneys and State employees."

According to the authorities audit and a civilian lawsuit, Favre besides was paid $1.1 cardinal from TANF funds for speeches the auditor says Favre ne'er made. He yet paid the wealth back, but the authorities is suing him for $228,000 successful interest.

Favre's attorney, Eric Herschmann, told FOX that Favre "never got paid for a 'no show' appearance. Anyone who has claimed otherwise, does not cognize the existent facts." He besides told FOX the ex-quarterback alternatively "got paid for doing each vigor spot that was requested."

Herschmann has not responded to ESPN's requests for remark connected Favre's engagement and could not beryllium reached Tuesday.

The audit besides said Prevacus, a institution processing a concussion cause successful which Favre is the apical capitalist and stockholder, received TANF funds.

Favre's longtime attorney, Bud Holmes, reportedly was replaced connected the payment lawsuit past period with Herschmann, a erstwhile apical lawyer successful the Trump White House. Herschmann told Axios that Favre had "no thought that payment funds were being utilized oregon that others were progressive successful amerciable conduct."

According to substance messages made nationalist successful the civilian lawsuit, Favre asked New: "If you were to wage maine is determination anyhow the media tin find retired wherever it came from and however much?" New has since pleaded blameworthy to fraud.

Favre continued to property authorities officials for wealth adjacent aft being told by then-Gov. Phil Bryant that misusing nationalist funds could beryllium illegal, texts show.

According to the authorities audit, New's nonprofit agreed to a sublease with the university's Athletic Foundation for "a multi-purpose wellness halfway connected the University's campus," which authorities auditor Shad White has told ESPN was an effort to legally substantiate the usage of TANF funds. New was connected the Athletic Foundation's committee astatine the time.

"In this case, [what happened was], 'Okay, well, if we lease this volleyball tribunal utilizing TANF funds, the mode we'll warrant it is the tribunal volition beryllium utilized arsenic the benignant of wellness halfway for the community,'" White has told ESPN. White said TANF funds were utilized improperly.

John Davis who ran the Department of Human Services, has besides pleaded blameworthy to conspiring to defraud the state. Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens has declined to remark connected Favre but has told ESPN that authorities and national investigators proceed to look into the case.