Brett Favre to Testify Before Congress Over Alleged Misuse of Welfare Funds: Report

Mar. 15, 2025

Brett Favre.Photo:Patrick McDermott/Getty

Patrick McDermott/Getty

Former NFL quarterback Brett Favre will face questions at an upcoming congressional hearing about the need for welfare reform amid his alleged misuse of Mississippi welfare funds, according to a new ESPNreport.Favre, 54, has been at the center of a multimillion dollar welfare scandal in recent years in his home state of Mississippi.

The Mississippi Department of Human Services named the longtime Green Bay Packers quarterback and 40 others in a 2023 lawsuit which aimed to regain some misspent welfare funds.

Favre has denied the allegations, which includeda claim that he and ex-Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant plottedto redirect at least $5 million in TANF funds to help build a volleyball stadium at the University of Southern Mississippi, his alma mater and the school where his daughter played volleyball at the time.

Brett Favre.Cindy Ord/Getty Image

Cindy Ord/Getty Image

AMississippi Todayreport last year included text messages Favre allegedly wrote which appeared to implicate him in the scheme.

In one text message, filed as part of Mississippi’s lawsuit over the TANF funds, Favre allegedly wrote: “If you were to pay me is there anyway media can find out where it came from and how much?”

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Brett Favre.Brett Favre/Instagram

Brett Favre/Instagram

ESPN reports that Favre will testify during the congressional House Ways and Means committee’s upcoming “Reforming Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF): States' Misuse of Welfare Funds Leaves Poor Families Behind” hearing, set to take place next Tuesday.

White, the Mississippi state auditor who launched the investigation into Favre and dozens of others, said that the three-time NFL MVP also received $1.1 million in state funds to make motivational speeches that he never actually gave.

Favre has said he repaid the debt, PEOPLE previouslyreported, but the state auditor says the retired quarterback still owes $228,000 in interest.

source: people.com