Brett Favre still owes Mississippi $730K, according to state auditor

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Favre repaid the $1.1M he received, but a state official says he owes more.

Brett Favre may have repaid the ill-gotten $1.1M he was given for phony “speaking engagements” as part of the Mississippi welfare fraud scheme, but the state is claiming he still has a hefty bill remaining.

Shad White, a State Auditor who Favre sued in 2023 for defamation of character, issued a counter-suit to Favre this week, claiming the NFL Hall of Famer still owes Mississippi $729,790 from funds which were misappropriated from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) fund, and given to the football player. It’s White’s assertion that Favre should be forced to pay principle and interest on the $1.1M he received as part of the welfare scheme, arguing that even in repaying the amount, Favre essentially received an interest-free loan.

“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. Now that lawyers from the Office of the State Auditor are trying this case, we are going to ensure Mr. Favre is held accountable for his acts and omissions.”

Favre has routinely asserted that he didn’t know where the funds came from, despite there being mounting evidence that he was a key player in arranging meetings between those who executed the welfare fraud, as well as having direct contact with former governor Phil Bryant over using the funds to build a new volleyball center at the University of Southern Mississippi.

There has been no statement from Favre over the lawsuit at this time.