Favre Allegedly Received Mississippi State Funds for Non-Appearances

[homer]

Guys, we have given LOTS of leeway on the political talk in the Covid thread but you can't bring it to other threads.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

Yeah, I’m always amazed at those that will jump to a conclusion without any real information pushed out. Has society always been this way or does it just suck now?

 

If the story were about Aaron Rodgers there would be a lot more people from WI playing defense on this one.

 

 

Do you think Rodgers is that much more popular in the state than Favre? Seems to me the Packers fans love that Aaron Rodgers is their QB...but that Favre was the more beloved player, the guy who represents their values more. But that's just the opinion I get from people I know.

 

 

Let me rephrase, but yes. People generally feel more of a need to defend behavior of current players. The animosity toward Favre has definitely softened, but I don't think fans feel a real need to defend him. With Rodgers, that is not the case, most people still like to find excuses for him, just like they used to with Favre and his philandering and bad decisions on the field.

[CheezWizHed]

I don't think $1.1 million is a drop in the bucket for Favre that he wouldn't be aware of, that much is clear from the fact that he is paying the majority of it back in installments. He says he never received money for obligations he didn't meet but they audit says they couldn't find any evidence that he attended the events. I don't know, I guess I can believe that he didn't know the source and it's good that he is paying it back, but I would like to know just why he is involved in a scheme that spent money meant for the poor on "lobbyists, concerts and sports tickets". It just seems like a lot of money, if it was $100K I would say yeah nothing to see here.

 

I would be stunned if Favre manages his own money. I know if I had his money, I wouldn't be managing it personally.

 

I doubt he had $1.1M sitting in his checking account. I'd guess that his accountants received the money and invested it. Then needed to liquidate the funds again to pay it back.

[HiAndTight]

I don't think $1.1 million is a drop in the bucket for Favre that he wouldn't be aware of, that much is clear from the fact that he is paying the majority of it back in installments. He says he never received money for obligations he didn't meet but they audit says they couldn't find any evidence that he attended the events. I don't know, I guess I can believe that he didn't know the source and it's good that he is paying it back, but I would like to know just why he is involved in a scheme that spent money meant for the poor on "lobbyists, concerts and sports tickets". It just seems like a lot of money, if it was $100K I would say yeah nothing to see here.

 

 

It also says that they haven't found any link to suggest that he knew what the money was supposed to be from or that he did anything wrong.

 

I don't think there's any question there was some...poor decisions to say the least, that doesn't mean Favre himself was part of some level of corruption.

[OldHeidelberg]

I don't think $1.1 million is a drop in the bucket for Favre that he wouldn't be aware of, that much is clear from the fact that he is paying the majority of it back in installments. He says he never received money for obligations he didn't meet but they audit says they couldn't find any evidence that he attended the events. I don't know, I guess I can believe that he didn't know the source and it's good that he is paying it back, but I would like to know just why he is involved in a scheme that spent money meant for the poor on "lobbyists, concerts and sports tickets". It just seems like a lot of money, if it was $100K I would say yeah nothing to see here.

 

I would be stunned if Favre manages his own money. I know if I had his money, I wouldn't be managing it personally.

 

I doubt he had $1.1M sitting in his checking account. I'd guess that his accountants received the money and invested it. Then needed to liquidate the funds again to pay it back.

 

I think that was probably a pretty big windfall for Favre at this point, I remember reading when he signed that last contract with the Vikes that he had a very expensive lifestyle, largely because he supported an extended family around him. I bet paying this back hurts, but of course it is all relative and he did come up with $500k Wednesday so he is not that cash strapped.

[LouisEly]

I think that was probably a pretty big windfall for Favre at this point, I remember reading when he signed that last contract with the Vikes that he had a very expensive lifestyle, largely because he supported an extended family around him. I bet paying this back hurts, but of course it is all relative and he did come up with $500k Wednesday so he is not that cash strapped.

As mentioned on the first page and in the article, the money was paid to Favre Enterprises, not to Brett personally. Public records show that Favre Enterprises has five employees.

 

Spotrac shows the following contracts for Favre:

2010: $16M

2009: 2/$25M (unsure how much was year one, but $4.4M signing bonus in 2010 so he was probably given some guaranteed money in 2010 to not retire)

2001-2010: $101.5M

1997-2003: 7/$42.5M

1994-1998: 5/$19M

1991-1993: 3/$1.38M

 

Using average salaries, that comes in at just under $150M for his career. Add in endorsement money, and the time value of money if even a fraction of that was invested, and he would have to spend quite a bit of money for $1.1M to be a major amount. As for paying back in installments, if he didn't put some of that away in a trust/annuity that he can't touch and is sitting on a couple million in cash he's a fool.

[pacopete4]

Favre and luxurious lifestyle really don't seem to mix. I'm sure he's doing just fine with his money.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

I recall the story about his family but not that he was short on cash. Just that he did have some hangers on who were taking advantage of him. I haven't heard anything about financial trouble though and at least from what you can see in various things, he seems to be doing just fine and taking very good care of himself physically.

 

That he had $500k liquid to give back right away would seem to be good evidence of that.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

I recall the story about his family but not that he was short on cash. Just that he did have some hangers on who were taking advantage of him. I haven't heard anything about financial trouble though and at least from what you can see in various things, he seems to be doing just fine and taking very good care of himself physically.

 

That he had $500k liquid to give back right away would seem to be good evidence of that.

 

Pretty sure I read somewhere that his oldest daughter is a lawyer now, so she's probably doing ok. He's also not really the type to be waited on hand and foot. That said, he has quite a bit of extended family in and around Hattiesburg that he me be helping.

[nodakfan17]

I recall the story about his family but not that he was short on cash. Just that he did have some hangers on who were taking advantage of him. I haven't heard anything about financial trouble though and at least from what you can see in various things, he seems to be doing just fine and taking very good care of himself physically.

 

That he had $500k liquid to give back right away would seem to be good evidence of that.

 

Pretty sure I read somewhere that his oldest daughter is a lawyer now, so she's probably doing ok. He's also not really the type to be waited on hand and foot. That said, he has quite a bit of extended family in and around Hattiesburg that he me be helping.

His oldest daughter had a child when she was in her late teens or early twenties. Then she completed college / law school. That’s great for her, but 99% of the population couldn’t do that. I’m sure she was on the family payroll the entire time. Just one example. It adds up.

[sveumrules]

Kind of tangential, but a few years back when I was down in Biloxi for some Shuckers games I drove through Kiln & stopped for a couple two tree Miller's High Lifes at the Broke Spoke & the only differences I could discern between Southern Mississippi & Northern Wisconsin were the latitude & the accents.

[OldHeidelberg]

I tried to find that article from 2010 but only found a Peter King article who I am reminded was a master of ass kissing so he could be the inside source with the top NFL stars. So not sure how accurate my memory was of his money needs around supporting his family.Take it for what it's worth, in 2010 during Favre's last waffling I was working for a yacht company in South Florida. One of the brokers had a client who was a minority owner of the Vikes and he told me this client said that the whole retirement thing was that Favre wanted a pay raise and the Childress/players flight down to Mississippi was just a show as Favre didn't want his image tainted by it appearing to be a contract holdout. He said the owners were kind of annoyed by it and considered not paying and seeing if Favre showed up anyway. I don't know that this is any kind of revelation, just passing on something I heard at the time and it may be why I remember that article about his extensive family the way I do.

 

I have no idea what Favre financial situation is, like I say it is of course relative when talking about the needs of the wealthy. My comment about the 1.1 million being a windfall is that it seems like a lot of money for him to make for some appearances. But if he is pulling in 5 million a year in endorsements and appearances these days then sure, that could have been stuff managed by his agent that he wasn't really aware of. I guess I am just cynical whenever I hear stuff like this, I read the article on it and I envision a private box at the Sugar Bowl full of wealthy donors who get to party with a Mississippi legend.

[MrTPlush]

I recall the story about his family but not that he was short on cash. Just that he did have some hangers on who were taking advantage of him. I haven't heard anything about financial trouble though and at least from what you can see in various things, he seems to be doing just fine and taking very good care of himself physically.

 

That he had $500k liquid to give back right away would seem to be good evidence of that.

 

To be fair he has probably made over $200mil in his life during and after his career. The fact his has to pay in installment loans for $600k of it means he probably isn’t swimming around in millions.

[OldHeidelberg]

A newer article laying out some of the details that I didn't know about.

 

https://deadspin.com/espn-pal-blocks-for-favre-in-mississippi-boondoggle-bu-1843361554

[MrTPlush]

Somehow this story has gotten even uglier years later...yikes. Favre jumped through every hoop possible to try and take as much money from a welfare program in the countries poorest state...to build a college volleyball facility his daughter played at. Guess a famous guy with a net worth over $100mil couldn't figure it out any other way.

 Hope Favre finds himself, along with the rest involved, in jail cells.

Texts: Phil Bryant helped Brett Favre secure USM volleyball funding - Mississippi Today

[UpandIn]

6 hours ago, MrTPlush said:

Somehow this story has gotten even uglier years later...yikes. Favre jumped through every hoop possible to try and take as much money from a welfare program in the countries poorest state...to build a college volleyball facility his daughter played at. Guess a famous guy with a net worth over $100mil couldn't figure it out any other way.

 Hope Favre finds himself, along with the rest involved, in jail cells.

Texts: Phil Bryant helped Brett Favre secure USM volleyball funding - Mississippi Today

I mean...it's so much worse than just the 1.1M for the speaking fees, the volleyball funding...this is even more blatantly corrupt. 

https://mississippitoday.org/2022/04/04/phil-bryant-brett-favre-welfare-scandal-payout/

 

[OldHeidelberg]

Holy smokes, as usual when it comes to white collar crime when there is smoke there is fire and it is usually even worse than you think. But it's Mississippi, I wouldn't hold your breath on any criminal convictions over rich people stealing welfare money. Even if they got convicted the current governor will pardon everyone on his way out.  

[UpandIn]

On 9/18/2022 at 5:29 PM, OldHeidelberg said:

Holy smokes, as usual when it comes to white collar crime when there is smoke there is fire and it is usually even worse than you think. But it's Mississippi, I wouldn't hold your breath on any criminal convictions over rich people stealing welfare money. Even if they got convicted the current governor will pardon everyone on his way out.  

The Feds are investigating. 

So...no pardon from the Gov(if he even was willing). 

That's money allocated for the State of Mississippi, but it comes from the Federal Gov't. Not hard to make this more than a State Matter. 

[jerichoholicninja]

A pro athlete does something incredibly selfish and stupid. Why are will still surprised when this happens and why we do we still put famous people on pedestals? Whoever you think the most virtuous celebrity there is, I can guarantee you there is plenty of stuff in that person's life that isn't public that if you found out would change your opinion 180 degrees.

[homer]

1 hour ago, jerichoholicninja said:

A pro athlete does something incredibly selfish and stupid. Why are will still surprised when this happens and why we do we still put famous people on pedestals? Whoever you think the most virtuous celebrity there is, I can guarantee you there is plenty of stuff in that person's life that isn't public that if you found out would change your opinion 180 degrees.

I think the good stuff just doesn't make the news often enough. Plenty of decent people play sports and act in movies and television. We only hear about the misdeeds.

[Oxy]

Color me cynical about this whole thing.  Terrible? Disgusting? Sordid? Of course.  Out of the ordinary... I'm not so sure. I just assume with rich people and politics stuff like this happens constantly.

[MrTPlush]

Whew, relieved, Favre used some of his own money for it too...well, money from his own charity.? Not sure how it helps “underserved and disabled children and breast cancer patients”

He also donated $60k from the same charity to his daughters high school at the time specifically for athletic facilities. They then magically constructed a volleyball facility a year later.

Report: Brett Favre's charity foundation gave more than $130,000 to Southern Miss athletics (yahoo.com)

Can't wait for the next edition of how Favre used money for the poor and sick to build volleyball facilities. 

[UpandIn]

On 9/23/2022 at 1:55 PM, homer said:

I think the good stuff just doesn't make the news often enough. Plenty of decent people play sports and act in movies and television. We only hear about the misdeeds.

This...but also lets say Morgan Freeman(kinda the first name that popped into my head about virtuous celebrities)...but I'm sure he's done things he wouldn't want out there, but that doesn't mean we need to normalize or kinda equivocate when we DO hear about a former athlete who's acting like a character in the Soprano's. 

This type of corruption should land people in jail. I don't care what other people MIGHT do, this is something people have reported out very well and...there need to be repercussions. 

And he can't play the dumb concussed Former Football player. Not when he's specifically asking if there's anyway the media can figure out where this came from. 

[MrTPlush]

When big-pharma takes welfare funds and then possibly helps Favre with his volleyball facility. To think we didn't get ripped off by pharma companies as is. The corruption in this entire ordeal is kind of amazing. Write checks and ask...erm, never ask questions later.

 

Pharma company linked to Brett Favre made pitch for welfare funds (yahoo.com)

[UpandIn]

11 hours ago, MrTPlush said:

When big-pharma takes welfare funds and then possibly helps Favre with his volleyball facility. To think we didn't get ripped off by pharma companies as is. The corruption in this entire ordeal is kind of amazing. Write checks and ask...erm, never ask questions later.

 

Pharma company linked to Brett Favre made pitch for welfare funds (yahoo.com)

Prevacus isn't exactly big pharama. It seems more like a scam "Alpha Max Brain Energy" nonsense type supplement. 

It looks like they've raised a couple million dollars and are trying to use Favre's name to raise more and giving him stocks(that he in turned wanted to give Bryant...and was told that was VERY illegal and he persisted saying he'll give him some of his shares since he "needs to be taken care of."