Mississippi Today

Welfare case judge shoots down Brett Favre’s attempts to dismiss charges

Published

2 years ago

April 24, 2023

Welfare case judge shoots down Brett Favre’s attempts to dismiss charges

by Anna Wolfe, Mississippi Today
April 24, 2023

In her first major order in the ongoing welfare fraud case, Hinds County Circuit Court Judge Faye Peterson denied former NFL quarterback Brett Favre’s attempt to dismiss civil charges against him.

Peterson also blocked Favre’s request for a hearing on his motion, saying it was unnecessary and calling his legal arguments “unpersuasive and inapplicable.”

Mississippi Department of Human Services is currently targeting 47 defendants whom it says fraudulently transferred nearly $80 million in funds from the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, or TANF.

Favre had argued that he never committed his own funds to build a volleyball stadium at the University of Southern Mississippi, a project eventually completed with $5 million in federal welfare funds, and that the state fully approved of the transfer.

“If, as MDHS falsely alleges, Favre was part of a conspiracy, it was the most public and open conspiracy in Mississippi history, it was directed and carried out by MDHS itself to transfer funds from one public state entity to another, Southern Miss, and it was vetted and approved by numerous lawyers and State officials,” his attorneys wrote in his motion to dismiss.

Peterson said in her motion Monday that Favre’s argument that MDHS “failed to allege that Favre formed an agreement with anyone to do anything unlawful” was “without merit,” effectively keeping Favre in the suit. Favre has not faced criminal charges in the U.S. Attorneys Office’s parallel criminal case, which just saw the addition of former WWE wrestler Teddy DiBiase Jr. last week.

“Obviously Brett Favre is disappointed in the court’s ruling. His legal team is exploring their options,” a spokesperson for Favre said in a statement Monday.

The judge also said that while Favre laid out a lengthy narrative with 300 pages of exhibits in his motion, under court procedure, she was not able to consider his version of facts.

The order Monday marks the first time Peterson, who wields great control over the trajectory of the civil suit, has directly acknowledged in a court filing the state’s allegations of civil conspiracy and fraudulent transfers against Favre.

“Both claims stem from allegations surrounding his involvement with and dealings to secure funding for the constriction of a brick-and-mortar volleyball facility at the University of Southern Mississippi as well as allegations surrounding his efforts to secure funds for a for-profit drug company, Prevacus,” she wrote. “Specifically, Plaintiff alleged that Favre personally guaranteed funds for the construction of a volleyball facility at USM, that he was unsuccessful at fundraising efforts, that he conducted months of negotiations and backdoor meetings with other named defendants and the University of Southern Mississippi Athletic Foundation to acquire funding, that the funding came from TANF funds and that said were used of non-TANF purposes, i.e. construction of a volleyball facility. Plaintiff further alleged that Favre, as the largest individual outside investor of Prevacus, engaged in similar meetings to assist in similar procurement of TANF funds that were, then, used to purchase stock in Prevacus, inconsistent with lawsuit TANF purposes.”

Peterson has filed 32 orders in the civil suit, which MDHS initially filed in May of last year. Until her order Monday denying Favre’s motion, Peterson had issued only procedural motions, such as granting time extensions for defendants file replies or allowing a defendant to use an out-of-state attorney.

The judge also has yet to hold a public hearing in the case.

Several other defendants have filed motions to dismiss, including Prevacus and its founder Jake Vanlandingham, nonprofit founder Nancy New, her sons Zach New and Jess New and their related companies, nonprofit director Christi Webb, former WWE wrestler Ted DiBiase Sr., former football player and fitness trainer Paul Lacoste, virtual reality company Lobaki, lobbyist and former state senator Will Longwitz, state contractor and former Attorney General’s Office employee Nick Coughlin and the former welfare director’s nephew Austin Smith. Peterson has not issued orders on their motions.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

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Mississippi Today

UMMC holds free cancer screenings

Published

14 hours ago

April 30, 2025

Staff Editor

mississippitoday.org – @EricJShelton – 2025-04-30 12:00:00

by Eric J. Shelton, Mississippi Today
April 30, 2025

Resident physician Claire Babin, right, performs an oral cancer screening on Ella Holmes during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Physicians prepare for oral, head and neck cancer screenings during a free screening event at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Resident physician Brooks Lampkin, center, screens Diane Carter for oral cancer as medical students Mason Nodurft, left, and Eva Kiparizoska observe during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Educational giveaways advocating against smoking are available during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Sharon Terry, senior tobacco treatment specialist, waits for patients during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Skylar Robinson, medical office assistant, left, and Kiandria Bruce, registered nurse, review materials at the patient sign-in table during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Head and neck cancer literature is available during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Dr. Alex Brooks and registered nurse Angela Noble talk during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Nina Brown, clinical manager, helps Ned Bostic with paperwork during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Resident physician Brooks Lampkin performs an oral cancer screening on Ned Bostic at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Ned Bostic receives a neck cancer screening during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Resident physician Brooks Lampkin, center, and medical student Hanna Watson examine Ned Bostic during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.

The University of Mississippi Medical Center’s Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery hosted a free oral, head, and neck cancer screening Wednesday at the Jackson Medical Mall as part of Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week.

The event featured quick, noninvasive screenings aimed at catching cancer early — when treatment is most effective. Onyx Care provided free HPV vaccinations, while the ACT Center for Tobacco Treatment, Education, and Research offered resources on smoking cessation and free services.

“These screenings take about 10 minutes and can save lives,” said Dr. Gina Jefferson, head and neck surgical oncologist at UMMC. “The earlier a cancer is diagnosed, the better chance we have of curing it.”

Tobacco and alcohol use remain major risk factors for these cancers. However, physicians say an increasing number of cases are linked to HPV, especially among younger adults with no history of smoking or drinking. Dentists are often the first to spot early signs, which can include persistent sores, lumps in the neck, or difficulty swallowing.

Oral, head and neck cancers are among the most common globally. When found early, survival rates can exceed 80 percent.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The post UMMC holds free cancer screenings appeared first on mississippitoday.org

Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Centrist

This article presents factual information about a free cancer screening event without showing a clear ideological stance. It primarily focuses on the health benefits of early cancer detection and the availability of free resources, such as HPV vaccinations and smoking cessation support. The language used is neutral and the content is centered around public health education rather than promoting a political viewpoint. The inclusion of factual statistics, such as survival rates and risk factors, adds to its informative and objective tone. There are no signs of bias or advocacy for a particular political agenda, making this a centrist piece.

Crooked Letter Sports Podcast

Podcast: What next for Mississippi State baseball?

Published

16 hours ago

April 30, 2025

Staff Editor

mississippitoday.org – @rick_cleveland – 2025-04-30 10:46:00

by Rick Cleveland and Tyler Cleveland, Mississippi Today
April 30, 2025

Mississippi State didn’t even wait until the end of the season to fire Chris Lemonis, who brought the national championship to Starkville not quite four years ago. Where do the Bulldogs go from here. Robbie Faulk who covers the Bulldogs more closely than anyone else joins the podcast to discuss the situation.

Stream all episodes here.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The post Podcast: What next for Mississippi State baseball? appeared first on mississippitoday.org

Mississippi Today

Mobile sports betting users: We want to hear from you

Published

16 hours ago

April 30, 2025

Staff Editor

mississippitoday.org – @MSTODAYnews – 2025-04-30 10:21:00

by Mississippi Today, Mississippi Today
April 30, 2025

Mississippi Today is looking to speak with current and former mobile sports betting users. We’d like to speak with people who spend considerable amounts of time and money betting on sports through online gambling sites.

We’re interested in hearing the experience of people who have suffered from gambling addiction or problems, or friends and family members of people who have. We also would like to talk with people who believe legalizing mobile sports betting would benefit Mississippi and its residents.

We want to hear from you. Please take the survey below or contact Political Reporter Michael Goldberg by email at mgoldberg@mississippitoday.org

TAKE THE SURVEY:

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This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The post Mobile sports betting users: We want to hear from you appeared first on mississippitoday.org

Political Bias Rating: Centrist

This article from Mississippi Today appears to present a neutral stance, focusing on gathering input from various groups of mobile sports betting users, including those who may have experienced addiction issues. The content does not advocate for or against the legalization of mobile sports betting but instead seeks to gather diverse perspectives, including those of individuals who may support or oppose it. The language used is objective and does not suggest a particular ideological perspective, allowing for a balanced exploration of the issue at hand.