A Mississippi state lawyer has been fired after issuing a subpoena to see whether ex-NFL star Brett Favre faked a $5million donation to a planned college volleyball center by using nonprofit cash set aside for needy families instead.
J. Brad Pigott was fired from the Mississippi Department of Human Services on Friday after issuing a subpoena to see where millions of misused welfare funds had gone.
Part of the subpoena Pigott filed looked into a $5million check that went toward the construction of a volleyball facility at the University of Southern Mississippi in 2018.
Pigott told the Times that Favre had agreed to donate $5million for the building’s construction.
But the investigator – a former federal prosecutor – claims Favre instead asked for the $5 million to be paid from the Mississippi Community Education Center, which was caught for misusing welfare funds in April.
The former Green Bay Packers quarterback is said to have gotten Nancy New, then head of the Mississippi Community Center, to pony up the millions from a fund intended to help impoverished families become self-sufficient.
J. Brad Pigott was fired from the Mississippi Department of Human Services on Friday after issuing a subpoena to see where millions of misused welfare funds had gone
New is a close friend of Deborah Bryant, the former first lady of Mississippi whose husband, former GOP Governor Phil Bryant, has also been linked to Pigott’s anti-corruption probe.
Pigott believes his firing was carried out at the behest of Mississippi’s current Governor Tate Reeves, who is also a Republican.
A spokesman for the Mississippi legislature initially insisted Pigott had been fired for refusing to share plans for his subpoena – even though he has written proof that he did just that 10 days before it was issued.
They also claimed that the former federal prosecutor’s semi-retired status counted against his future employment, and that they wanted another lawyer who they felt could commit full-time to take over.
Pigott was hired to probe corruption following a 2020 state audit revealed $94million of federal funds had been misspent and landed in the pockets of wealthy Mississippians – like Favre and former Governor Phil Bryant.
Favre was reportedly paid $1.1million to attend speaking event he never attended, according to The New York Times. Although he eventually paid back the money, state auditors are still after $228,000 from accrued interest.
Brett Favre (pictured) has been accused of faking donations and getting welfare money to build a college volleyball facility. However, officials said at the time of the audit was released, there was no evidence leaning toward Favre knowing the money was from welfare
He has been accused of faking a $5million donation for the University of Southern Mississippi volleyball facility (pictured). He asked the money to be paid from the Mississippi Community Education Center, which was caught for misusing welfare funds in April
Former Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant, left, and his wife Deborah pictured in 2016. Deborah has been linked to an anti-corruption probe that reportedly saw a non-profit run by her friend Nancy New pony up $5 million in cash to build a volleyball center following a request from former NFL quarterback Brett Favre, after Favre pledged to donate the cash himself
Pigott believes his firing was orchestrated by current Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves, center. He and Bryant are both Republicans
The non-profit claims paid the $5million in fees to use the university facilities, but Pigott told the Times that was actually an arrangement to cover-up deliberate financial mismanagement.
The subpoena, which was filed to the university’s athletic foundation, is seeking $20million from 38 entities, which includes Favre, and is also asking for any communication between Favre or Bryant or Bryant’s wife Deborah to be turned over.
In addition, $1.7million in welfare money was given to a pharmaceutical company Favre invested in.
However, officials said at the time of the audit was released, there was no evidence leaning toward Favre knowing the money was from welfare, the Times reported.
Now, Pigott claims he was told his dismissal had nothing to do with his legal work and that he received no further reason behind it, The New York Times reported.
‘I believe I was fired as a result of a pattern of orders from the Mississippi governor’s office concerning protecting an entity, called the University of Southern Mississippi Athletic Foundation, from any responsibility in this matter,’ he told the Times.
The executive director of the agency Pigott worked for is now claiming he was fired because he did not consult his superiors first before filing the subpoena.
However, an email – obtained by Mississippi Today – showed that the lawyer had sent a copy of the subpoena to the agency’s lawyer 10 days before filing it.
A spokesperson for the governor, Shelby Wilcher, said that Pigott’s one-year contract was set to expire and the ‘semiretired solo practitioner was not the right person to sign on for more work,’ she told The New York Times.
She did say Pigotts work to uncover the mystery behind the misspent funds would continue, the Times reported.
Farve was the quarterback for the Green Bay Packers for the majority of his career