Former NFL MVP Brett Favre reveals Parkinson’s diagnosis before Congress

NFL Hall of Famer Brett Favre revealed that he has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. The former Green Bay Packers quarterback made the announcement while testifying before the House Ways and Means Committee on Tuesday, Sept. 24, where he was addressing matters related to welfare reform.

“Sadly, I also lost an investment in a company that I believed was developing a breakthrough concussion drug I thought would help others and I’m sure you’ll understand,” Favre told lawmakers. “While it’s too late for me because I’ve recently been diagnosed with Parkinson’s.”

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Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurological disorder that affects movement, often causing tremors, stiffness and balance difficulties. Favre’s testimony about his diagnosis came amid accusations that he was associated with the misuse of welfare funds intended for low-income individuals in Mississippi.

The state of Mississippi filed a civil lawsuit, which included the three-time NFL MVP, after a state audit conducted in 2020 uncovered that over $77 million from Mississippi’s welfare program was spent improperly.

“I believe that I got swept up in a civil lawsuit at the instigation of State Auditor Shad White, an ambitious public official who decided to terminate tarnish my reputation to try to advance his own political career,” Favre said during his testimony this week.

Among these funds, approximately $2 million reportedly went to Prevacus, a company that was developing a concussion treatment drug. Favre was the company’s top outside investor. Evidence showed that Favre had been in communication with state officials in 2018, seeking assistance to secure funding for the company.

However, over the summer,  Jacob VanLandingham, the founder of Prevacus, pled guilty to wire fraud, admitting that the money received from Mississippi’s welfare funds was used to pay off his personal gambling debts rather than toward the development of the drug.

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While Favre has not faced any criminal charges in connection with the scandal, his naming in Mississippi’s suit comes along with more than three dozen other individuals and entities, as the state looks to recover millions in misused welfare funds.