Ted DiBiase and his sons Ted DiBiase Jr. and Brett DiBiase were recently named in an audit for an ongoing scandal regarding inappropriate use of welfare money in Mississippi.
The scandal saw the Mississippi Department of Human Services misappropriate more than $90 million and used it for other means that weren't for welfare purposes.
The audit, which was conducted by Shad White, revealed that Ted Sr.'s Heart of David ministry received more than $1.9 million from 2017 to 2019. The actual payments were $271,349 in 2017, $900,000 in 2018 and $756,224 in 2019, totaling $1,927,573.
In addition, the audit stated that Heart Of David is considered a faith based organization under federal standards. Grants to faith-based organizations are allowed under Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program regulations. However, White said in the audit that "any contract or grant agreement must include conditions to implement restrictions on explicitly religious activities. Auditor could find no such conditions in the contracts or subgrantee agreements made to Heart of David."
Previously, authorities charged Brett and five more people in a multi-million embezzlement scheme that included former Mississippi Welfare Director John Davis. According to a New York Times article, DiBiase allegedly was given funds to go to a drug treatment facility in Malibu that was earmarked for Mississippi's welfare programs. According to documents in the article, DiBiase was allegedly given the money as payment for drug abuse classes that he never taught.
Former NFL quarterback and Super Bowl champion Brett Favre was also named in the audit, with Favre Enterprises receiving $1.1 million from the Mississippi Department of Human Services. The full audit can be seen at this link.
