Amid his involvement in a lawsuit regarding misuse of the state of Mississippi’s welfare funds, former NFL quarterback Brett Favre released a statement Tuesday.
“I have been unjustly smeared in the media,” Favre said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “I have done nothing wrong, and it is past time to set the record straight.”
Favre is one of several people being sued for redirecting $20 million from the state’s welfare funds to other areas, including building a new volleyball stadium at the University of Southern Mississippi. He reportedly asked for money to also build a new indoor practice facility for Southern Mississippi’s football team.
“No one ever told me, and I did not know that funds designated for welfare recipients were going to the University or me,” Favre said. “I tried to help my alma mater USM, a public Mississippi state university, raise funds for a wellness center. My goal was and always will be to improve the athletic facilities at my university.”
According to Anna Wolfe of Mississippi Today, text messages show Favre worked with nonprofit founder Nancy New and former welfare agency director John Davis to redirect $5 million in state welfare funds to build a new stadium. New has already pleaded guilty to 13 felony counts, while Davis has pleaded guilty to two federal charges.
Favre has not been criminally charged for his alleged involvement in the scandal but is implicated in the state’s lawsuit.
“State agencies provided the funds to Nancy New’s charity, the Mississippi Community Education Center, which then gave the funds to the University, all with the full knowledge and approval of other State agencies, including the State-wide Institute for Higher Learning, the Governor’s office and the Attorney General’s office,” Favre said.
Favre said that he believed it was legal to donate any money he received through fundraising to USM.
“I was told that the legal work to ensure that these funds could be accepted by the university was done by State attorneys and State employees,” he said. “After I found out the money I was paid for fundraising radio spots came from federal welfare funds, I returned all of it.”
Additionally, The Athletic reported Favre’s charity, Favre 4 Hope, donated a substantial amount of money to USM at the same time. While this case is ongoing, SiriusXM announced it has halted Favre’s weekly radio show.
