×

State of Mississippi still wants $600,000 back from Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre

Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre celebrates after throwing a touchdown pass to Andre Rison during the Super Bowl on Jan. 26, 1997, in New Orleans. (AP file photo)

JACKSON, Miss. — Retired NFL quarterback Brett Favre has yet to pay back $600,000 he received from the state of Mississippi for multiple speaking events where he never showed up, authorities said Tuesday.

He promised to repay the state after an audit released in May 2020 revealed $1.1 million had been paid to Favre’s company, Favre Enterprises. The amount was part of $94 million in welfare spending that was “questioned” by auditors who said they either saw clear misspending or could not verify whether money was lawfully spent.

Mississippi is one of the poorest states in the U.S., and the $94 million was earmarked for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, also known as TANF.

Mississippi Community Education Center had contracts with the Mississippi Department of Human Services to spend money through TANF.

Favre made an initial payment of $500,000 to the state a few days after the report was released. But, Logan Reeves, a spokesman for Mississippi Auditor Shad White, said Tuesday that the auditor’s office has not heard since then from the Hall-of-Famer who lives near Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

“After the initial media dustup, he stroked a check for $500 grand and gave a commitment, a voluntary commitment, to repay the rest in the coming months,” Reeves told The Associated Press. “And then, that didn’t happen.”

Favre’s agent did not return a request from The AP for comment Tuesday.

The audit claimed Favre Enterprises was paid $500,000 in December 2017 and $600,000 in June 2018, and Favre was supposed to have made speeches for at least three events. The auditor’s report said “upon a cursory review of those dates, auditors were able to determine that the individual contracted did not speak nor was he present for those events.”

Favre has not been accused of a crime.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper *
   

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today