Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre was paid $1.1 million for speeches he never gave, according to an audit of the Mississippi Department of Human Services.
The 104-page audit also uncovered some other shady investments of public funds designed to help the poorest Mississippians, including buying expensive cars, hiring family members of state officials and sponsoring a college baseball tournament.
According to Luke Ramseth of the Mississippi Clarion Ledger, Favre was paid $1.1 million in two installments by the Mississippi Community Education Center for appearances, promotions, autographs and speaking engagements. Auditors said after reviewing dates and other details they determined Favre “did not speak nor was he present for those events.”
Favre doesn’t face any criminal charges related to the misappropriation of public funds, but others will. His agent did not respond to requests for comment from the newspaper.
Mississippi State Auditor Shad White said the report “shows the most egregious misspending my staff have seen in their careers at the Office of the State Auditor,” adding that “if there was a way to misspend money, it seems DHS leadership or their grantees thought of it and tried it.”
More than $94 million in welfare money from the fiscal year 2019 was “questioned” by auditors.