Former Eagles All-Pro takes wild shot at Brett Favre over $77,000,000 Mississippi Welfare Fraud Scandal
On Tuesday, ESPN released a snippet from its latest 30 for 30 documentary titled 'New York Sack Exchange,' and it instantly went viral due to a confrontation that it featured between Brett Favre and New York Jets great Mark Gastineau.
In the clip, the latter is seen accusing the Hall of Famer of 'hurting him' by intentionally giving up a sack to Michael Strahan in a Week 17 game between the Green Bay Packers and New York Giants in 2002. With that sack, the defensive end broke Gastineau's record for most sacks in a season, which he set in 1984.
Favre pleaded his innocence on social media with a lengthy post. He claimed he didn't intentionally hurt the Jets icon and only went down to avoid taking a massive hit on the game's final play. He also vouched for Gastineau to earn a Hall of Fame induction.
While the retired quarterback was trying to douse one fire, Hall of Famer Terrell Owens lit another. He reposted Favre's lengthy post explaining his side of the story and replied:
"While you’re clearing the air, clear the air on the misappropriation of funds you were pocketing."
Owens is referring to the $77,000,000 Mississippi Welfare Funds scam. Favre was among the several defendants named in a civil lawsuit alleging misuse of federal funds for personal use.
The Packers great has addressed the issue publicly twice, once via a statement and another with a post on social media where he denied being paid money for no-show appearances as a speaker.
Brett Favre's involvement in Mississippi Welfare Fund scam
Brett Favre was accused of taking $1.1 million in fees for speeches he never gave. The money allegedly came from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).
He also allegedly pushed the fund's managers to donate $5 million to the University of Southern Mississippi to build a state-of-the-art volleyball facility. His daughter Breleigh is a volleyball star at the program.
Favre also allegedly helped Prevacus, a biopharmaceutical company he has invested in, secure $2 million in funding, which came from the TANF. Its founder, Jacob VanLandingham, admitted to using it to pay off gambling debts and pleaded guilty to charges of wire fraud.
The Hall of Famer has claimed multiple times that he wasn't aware that the money came from a welfare fund and continues to plead his innocence. The case is still ongoing.