Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre filed three separate defamation lawsuits on Thursday, targeting Mississippi state auditor Shad White, Hall of Fame tight end Shannon Sharpe, and national sports commentator Pat McAfee.
The lawsuits stem from their comments about Favre’s alleged role in the 2020 fraud case after investigators in White’s office discovered that $77 million was missing from money allocated to Temporary Assistance for Needy Families funds in Mississippi.
Favre was among several other defendants named in a state audit and civil lawsuit, according to court documents. The state found that a Mississippi charity that received TANF funding paid him $1.5 million for speeches he never gave. The former Green Bay Packers quarterback paid the money back but was also instructed to pay $228,000 in interest.
The University of Southern Mississippi, Favre’s alma mater, received $5 million of TANF money that went to the athletic foundation. Text messages show that he advocated for money that was allegedly used to build a new volleyball facility while Favre’s daughter was playing on the team. Such a scheme is not legal under state law.
White’s audit has led to six people criminally charged, but Favre was not among those six. He believes White has ruined his good name to advance his political career.
“White has made egregiously false and defamatory statements accusing Favre of ‘stealing taxpayer funds’ and knowingly misusing funds ‘designed to serve poor folks,’” the lawsuit documents state.
He has reportedly threatened to sue Dr.Umar Johnson for comments made about him but he never filed a lawsuit.
“Mr. Favre has called Auditor White and his team liars despite repaying some of the money our office demanded from him,” Fletcher Freeman, a spokesman for the state auditor’s office, said this week. “He’s also claimed the auditors are liars despite clear documentary evidence showing he benefited from misspent…
Read the full article here
