FBI interviewed Brett Favre in Mississippi embezzlement case

Mississippi, the poorest state in the Union, gets millions of dollars every year from the federal government to help the state’s neediest families. But instead of helping poor people, the State Auditor said around $70 million was spent on things like horse farms and first class travel, even paying $1.1 million to Brett Favre, a multimillionaire, for speeches he never gave.

Favre is a former NFL quarterback and Mississippi native. He was hired to make motivational speeches in 2017 and 2018 and paid with money from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds, also known as welfare.

Mississippi’s State Auditor, Shad White, demanded the return of the money with interest. Favre gave back the $1.1 million, but has not paid the $228,000 in interest.

Text messages also show Favre worked to secure $5 million in supposed grant money to build a volleyball facility at the University of Southern Mississippi, where his daughter plays volleyball.

Just like the payment for his speeches, though, the grant money was also from the welfare agency, and run through a now-shuttered non-profit.

According to NBC News, the FBI did interview Favre. He hasn’t been charged with any crimes.

John Davis was in charge of Mississippi’s welfare agency. He’s been accused of using the agency as a private slush fund to better himself and his family. He’s been arrested and charged with bribery and conspiracy.

Mississippi’s Department of Human Services hired lawyer Brad Pigott to help recover some of the misallocated funds.

Pigott filed a subpoena in July because he wanted to know more about the connection between Favre, the volleyball complex and the former governor of Mississippi Phil Bryant.

Shortly after filing the subpoena, though, Pigott was fired.

Of the $70 million Davis is accused of mishandling, only the $1.1 million paid to Favre has been recovered.