A Mississippi state auditor is demanding that Brett Favre repay the welfare money he spent on projects he backed.
According to reports, Auditor Shad White has filed court documents demanding Favre to pay nearly $730,000 of funds meant for some of Mississippi’s poorest residents.
In February 2023, Favre, a Mississippi resident and Hall of Famer, sued White and two sportscasters for defamation over welfare misspending discussions.
In 2020, White accused Favre of wrongly receiving $1.1 million in speaking fees from a nonprofit, which Mississippi DHS approved, meant for a University of Southern Mississippi volleyball arena, where his daughter played and where he pledged to lead fundraising efforts.
During Monday’s court filing, White’s attorneys said, “Favre had no legal right to the possession or control of this $1.1 Million.”
According to reports, Favre repaid $500,000 to the state in May 2020 and $600,000 in October 2021, but a recent court filing stated he still owes $729,790 due to interest accruing on the original amount owed.
“It boggles the mind that Mr. Favre could imagine he is entitled to the equivalent of an interest-free loan of $1.1 million in taxpayer money, especially money intended for the benefit of the poor,” White said Monday.
Favre’s defamation lawsuit against White is ongoing, with White’s recent filing on Monday serving as a counterclaim in the case.
Mississippi prosecutors disclosed that millions of federal welfare funds allocated for low-income residents were misappropriated for projects favored by wealthy or well-connected individuals between 2016 and 2019.
At this time, Favre has faced no criminal charges in the misspending case, unlike others who have pleaded guilty, including a former department director.
