Brett Favre is suing ex-NFL players and current media personalities Shannon Sharpe and Pat McAfee, as well as Mississippi Auditor Shad White, for 'defamatory allegations' made over the Packers legend's involvement in a $77 million welfare fraud scheme, DailyMail.com has learned.
'Shannon Sharpe and Pat McAfee tried to further their careers by making baseless defamatory allegations against Brett Favre,' a spokesperson for the 53-year-old told DailyMail.com.
Sharpe, a Hall of Fame tight end with the Broncos and Ravens, called Favre a 'sleazeball' on his FS1 show in September while accusing the retired quarterback of knowingly stealing $1.1 million in Mississippi welfare funds in exchange for speeches that he never made. McAfee, a former Colts punter who now hosts a popular SiriusXM podcast, accused Favre of 'stealing from the poor people of Mississippi.'
Favre has not been charged in the case, which has already resulted in several guilty pleas, and he has since repaid the $1.1million. However, Favre refused to pay $228,000 interest being charged to him by White, while insisting that he did not know the origin of the funding he received.
In December, the Mississippi Department of Human Services dropped its $1.1million demand from Favre, admitting that he repaid the debt, while issuing a new $5 million demand, saying he used anti-poverty funds to pay for a volleyball arena at his alma mater, the University of Southern Mississippi.
White, too, is being sued for defamation by Favre, who claims that the Mississippi Auditor repeatedly misled the public about his involvement in the case.
'Shad White has done a disservice to the people of Mississippi,' Favre's spokesperson told DailyMail.com. 'Here is some free advice for Shad White: do what state auditors are supposed to do—fix the state's failure to have controls in place to ensure that it properly safeguards the taxpayers' money, not smear the reputations of private citizens to serve his own personal and political ambitions.'
White claimed that Favre knew the money he received from the no-show speaking gigs came from a non-profit funded by state taxes, according to the defamation lawsuit filed Thursday in Mississippi.
'[W]e know that Mr. Favre not only knew that he was receiving money from this non-profit which was funded by taxpayer dollars,' White told CNN on September 15, 2022, according to the lawsuit. 'We know that the funding for that was a sham, and we know that he knows that too.'
McAfee similarly claimed that Favre knew about the origin of the funds.
'Every time his name gets brought up, we have to mention that he tied the hands of the poor people and took money right out of their pockets,' McAfee said about Favre, according to the defamation lawsuit.
'[Favre is] certainly in the middle of stealing from poor people in Mississippi right now,' McAfee allegedly said on another occasion.
Sharpe also claimed that '[Favre] stole money from the people that really needed that money.'
'Today, Brett Favre has sued [Sharpe and McAfee],' the retired quarterback's spokesman told DailyMail.com. 'Mr. Favre has spent his retirement from the NFL focused, on, among other things, helping people suffering from concussions. Sadly, Shannon and Pat have decided to spend their time making false public statements against Brett.'
The former Southern Mississippi star is seeking nominal and general damages from all three, 'including compensation for injury to Favre's character and reputation.' He is also seeking unspecified punitive or exemplary damages.
In response to Thursday's defamation lawsuit, White spokesman Fletcher Freeman issued a statement to DailyMail.com.
Everything Auditor White has said about this case is true and is backed by years of audit work by the professionals at the Office of the State Auditor,' Fletcher wrote. 'It's mind-boggling that Mr. Favre wants to have a trial about that question.
'Mr. Favre has called Auditor White and his team liars despite repaying some of the money our office demanded from him. He's also claimed the auditors are liars despite clear documentary evidence showing he benefitted from misspent funds. Instead of paying New York litigators to try this case, he'd be better off fully repaying the amount of welfare funds he owes the state.'
Spokespeople for Fox Sports and the Pat McAfee Show did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com's request for comment.
Favre is among 38 individuals or organizations being sued by the state in May to recoup $24 million from the $77 million welfare scheme.
Previously unearthed text messages from 2017 revealed Favre's efforts to divert $5 million in welfare to a new volleyball arena for the University of Southern Mississippi, his alma mater, where his daughter was playing the sport at the time. In one message, Favre wondered: 'Is there anyway (sic) the media can find out where [the money] came from and how much?'
Favre has denied knowing the source of the funding.
'No one ever told me, and I did not know, that funds designated for welfare recipients were going to the University or me,' Favre told Fox News in an October statement. '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.'
Mississippi's lawsuit described Favre as the largest outside investor and stockholder in Prevacus, a Florida-based company that was developing a concussion drug.
That lawsuit said in December of 2018, Favre pushed Prevacus CEO Jake VanLandingham to request welfare funds from Nancy New, who ran a nonprofit organization and an educational company with her son, Zach. The purpose of Favre's request, according to the State's lawsuit, was to use welfare grant money to invest in Prevacus.
Favre allegedly hosted a Prevacus investors meeting at his Mississippi home in 2019, which was attended by VanLandingham, Davis, Nancy New, Zach New and wrestler Ted DiBiase Jr., according to Mississippi's lawsuit. It was at that meeting that the parties agreed to spend 'substantial' welfare grant money on Prevacus and, ultimately, its corporate affiliate PreSolMD Inc.
Over the next 10 months, the company received $2.1 million, which had been earmarked for the state's welfare fund. Officially, the funding diverted to Prevacus was 'for the purpose of securing ''clinical trial sites'' to be located within Mississippi,' according to the lawsuit, provided to DailyMail.com.
Instead, the Auditor's lawsuit claims, the money was used by individuals to purchase stock in the company. But while the stock was in the names of New and her son, Zach, the State claims the investment was for the financial benefit of Favre, VanLandingham and the two companies.
The May lawsuit demanded the repayment of $2.1 million in welfare grant money that was given to the two companies in 2019.
In his October statement to Fox News, Favre insisted that everything was handled properly on his end, including his efforts to fund Southern Miss athletics with the help of New's charity.
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,' he said.
'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.'
In a statement to Fox News, White said Favre's 'analysis was incorrect' because Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) cannot be used to fund such projects.
The volleyball court needed to be used to benefit the needy in Hattiesburg,' White said, referencing the Mississippi town where the Southern Miss campus is located.
'And fast-forward to today, what we know now is that the volleyball court has not been used to benefit the needy. So, this is an unallowable use of TANF funds for a few different reasons. And for those reasons, it doesn't matter that the attorney signed off on this. What matters is that it simply is not an allowable use of TANF funds, and it's our job in the Auditor's office to point that out when we see it.'
Specifically, TANF funds are not permitted to be used for brick-and-mortar construction projects, such as a new volleyball court on the Southern Miss campus.
And although White admits there is no documentation showing Favre knew the funding came from the TANF fund, he was aware that the programs involved were supposed to help the poor.
This is not the first time White has been taken to court over public statements.
White was previously sued for defamation in 2021 by University of Mississippi Professor James Thomas, who was responding to the Auditor's claim that he participated in an illegal work stoppage in violation of state law. At the time, White claimed he was entitled to 'absolute immunity' in his official duties, but his motion to dismiss the lawsuit was denied by a Mississippi judge.
'Shannon Sharpe and Pat McAfee tried to further their careers by making baseless defamatory allegations against Brett Favre,' a spokesperson for the 53-year-old told DailyMail.com.
Sharpe, a Hall of Fame tight end with the Broncos and Ravens, called Favre a 'sleazeball' on his FS1 show in September while accusing the retired quarterback of knowingly stealing $1.1 million in Mississippi welfare funds in exchange for speeches that he never made. McAfee, a former Colts punter who now hosts a popular SiriusXM podcast, accused Favre of 'stealing from the poor people of Mississippi.'
Favre has not been charged in the case, which has already resulted in several guilty pleas, and he has since repaid the $1.1million. However, Favre refused to pay $228,000 interest being charged to him by White, while insisting that he did not know the origin of the funding he received.
In December, the Mississippi Department of Human Services dropped its $1.1million demand from Favre, admitting that he repaid the debt, while issuing a new $5 million demand, saying he used anti-poverty funds to pay for a volleyball arena at his alma mater, the University of Southern Mississippi.
White, too, is being sued for defamation by Favre, who claims that the Mississippi Auditor repeatedly misled the public about his involvement in the case.
'Shad White has done a disservice to the people of Mississippi,' Favre's spokesperson told DailyMail.com. 'Here is some free advice for Shad White: do what state auditors are supposed to do—fix the state's failure to have controls in place to ensure that it properly safeguards the taxpayers' money, not smear the reputations of private citizens to serve his own personal and political ambitions.'
White claimed that Favre knew the money he received from the no-show speaking gigs came from a non-profit funded by state taxes, according to the defamation lawsuit filed Thursday in Mississippi.
'[W]e know that Mr. Favre not only knew that he was receiving money from this non-profit which was funded by taxpayer dollars,' White told CNN on September 15, 2022, according to the lawsuit. 'We know that the funding for that was a sham, and we know that he knows that too.'
McAfee similarly claimed that Favre knew about the origin of the funds.
'Every time his name gets brought up, we have to mention that he tied the hands of the poor people and took money right out of their pockets,' McAfee said about Favre, according to the defamation lawsuit.
'[Favre is] certainly in the middle of stealing from poor people in Mississippi right now,' McAfee allegedly said on another occasion.
Sharpe also claimed that '[Favre] stole money from the people that really needed that money.'
'Today, Brett Favre has sued [Sharpe and McAfee],' the retired quarterback's spokesman told DailyMail.com. 'Mr. Favre has spent his retirement from the NFL focused, on, among other things, helping people suffering from concussions. Sadly, Shannon and Pat have decided to spend their time making false public statements against Brett.'
The former Southern Mississippi star is seeking nominal and general damages from all three, 'including compensation for injury to Favre's character and reputation.' He is also seeking unspecified punitive or exemplary damages.
In response to Thursday's defamation lawsuit, White spokesman Fletcher Freeman issued a statement to DailyMail.com.
Everything Auditor White has said about this case is true and is backed by years of audit work by the professionals at the Office of the State Auditor,' Fletcher wrote. 'It's mind-boggling that Mr. Favre wants to have a trial about that question.
'Mr. Favre has called Auditor White and his team liars despite repaying some of the money our office demanded from him. He's also claimed the auditors are liars despite clear documentary evidence showing he benefitted from misspent funds. Instead of paying New York litigators to try this case, he'd be better off fully repaying the amount of welfare funds he owes the state.'
Spokespeople for Fox Sports and the Pat McAfee Show did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com's request for comment.
Favre is among 38 individuals or organizations being sued by the state in May to recoup $24 million from the $77 million welfare scheme.
Previously unearthed text messages from 2017 revealed Favre's efforts to divert $5 million in welfare to a new volleyball arena for the University of Southern Mississippi, his alma mater, where his daughter was playing the sport at the time. In one message, Favre wondered: 'Is there anyway (sic) the media can find out where [the money] came from and how much?'
Favre has denied knowing the source of the funding.
'No one ever told me, and I did not know, that funds designated for welfare recipients were going to the University or me,' Favre told Fox News in an October statement. '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.'
Mississippi's lawsuit described Favre as the largest outside investor and stockholder in Prevacus, a Florida-based company that was developing a concussion drug.
That lawsuit said in December of 2018, Favre pushed Prevacus CEO Jake VanLandingham to request welfare funds from Nancy New, who ran a nonprofit organization and an educational company with her son, Zach. The purpose of Favre's request, according to the State's lawsuit, was to use welfare grant money to invest in Prevacus.
Favre allegedly hosted a Prevacus investors meeting at his Mississippi home in 2019, which was attended by VanLandingham, Davis, Nancy New, Zach New and wrestler Ted DiBiase Jr., according to Mississippi's lawsuit. It was at that meeting that the parties agreed to spend 'substantial' welfare grant money on Prevacus and, ultimately, its corporate affiliate PreSolMD Inc.
Over the next 10 months, the company received $2.1 million, which had been earmarked for the state's welfare fund. Officially, the funding diverted to Prevacus was 'for the purpose of securing ''clinical trial sites'' to be located within Mississippi,' according to the lawsuit, provided to DailyMail.com.
Instead, the Auditor's lawsuit claims, the money was used by individuals to purchase stock in the company. But while the stock was in the names of New and her son, Zach, the State claims the investment was for the financial benefit of Favre, VanLandingham and the two companies.
The May lawsuit demanded the repayment of $2.1 million in welfare grant money that was given to the two companies in 2019.
In his October statement to Fox News, Favre insisted that everything was handled properly on his end, including his efforts to fund Southern Miss athletics with the help of New's charity.
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,' he said.
'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.'
In a statement to Fox News, White said Favre's 'analysis was incorrect' because Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) cannot be used to fund such projects.
The volleyball court needed to be used to benefit the needy in Hattiesburg,' White said, referencing the Mississippi town where the Southern Miss campus is located.
'And fast-forward to today, what we know now is that the volleyball court has not been used to benefit the needy. So, this is an unallowable use of TANF funds for a few different reasons. And for those reasons, it doesn't matter that the attorney signed off on this. What matters is that it simply is not an allowable use of TANF funds, and it's our job in the Auditor's office to point that out when we see it.'
Specifically, TANF funds are not permitted to be used for brick-and-mortar construction projects, such as a new volleyball court on the Southern Miss campus.
And although White admits there is no documentation showing Favre knew the funding came from the TANF fund, he was aware that the programs involved were supposed to help the poor.
This is not the first time White has been taken to court over public statements.
White was previously sued for defamation in 2021 by University of Mississippi Professor James Thomas, who was responding to the Auditor's claim that he participated in an illegal work stoppage in violation of state law. At the time, White claimed he was entitled to 'absolute immunity' in his official duties, but his motion to dismiss the lawsuit was denied by a Mississippi judge.
