Brett Favre files motion to dismiss alleged welfare fraud civil lawsuit

Brett Favre is one of 38 defendants being sued by the Mississippi Department of Human Services for his alleged role in a welfare fraud scheme. The former NFL quarterback has officially filed a motion to dismiss this lawsuit against him.

Favre has been connected to a state of Mississippi welfare scheme that has already seen six people arrested. It's worth noting that the former Green Bay Packers star has not been criminally charged, but the state named him as part of a civil lawsuit.

The state is alleging, per ESPN, that Favre was paid $1.1 million for promotional ads and speaking appearances that he never made. That money was part of at least $77 million in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families funds that a state audit has found was diverted.

Favre was seeking funds to help the University of Southern Mississippi, his alma mater, build a new volleyball stadium. Notably, his daughter was playing volleyball for Southern Mississippi at the time of this alleged scandal.

At least $5 million of these TANF fund were used towards the new facility.

Favre's motion is arguing that he had no idea the funds he was seeking were for welfare.

"Favre, unlike [MDHS director John] Davis and [Mississippi Community Education Center founder Nancy] New and the other public officials, in fact did not know that any funds he received were TANF funds or were subject to a legal use restriction, had no responsibility or ability to audit or monitor, let alone control, the use of MDHS or MCEC funds, and did nothing wrong in connection with those funds," the motion stated.

"[MDHS]'s lawsuit is nothing more than a baseless attempt to blame Brett Favre for its own failure to oversee the welfare funds placed in its trust," Favre's lawyer wrote in a statement to ESPN. "Mr. Favre never had any control over how Mississippi spent its welfare funds. He never made any misrepresentations to anyone."

Favre did pay back the $1.1 million but the state is suing him and seeking interest.

"It's ludicrous to say that Mr. Favre has been singled out in any way," a representative for Mississippi state auditor Shad White told ESPN. "And as far as our office is concerned, Mr. Favre remains liable for $228,000 in interest for nonperformance of the contract in question."

Favre's last public comments on the matter were that he was being "unjustly smeared". The motion tries to make it clear that the former quarterback had no idea where the funds came from.

"As the State Auditor has acknowledged, Mr. Favre never knew welfare funds were involved in the first place. Once he found out, he returned all of the funds he received — six months before MDHS filed its lawsuit," it read. "As the State Auditor also has acknowledged, Mr. Favre's conduct deserves applause, not a frivolous lawsuit. We believe that after the Court reviews our motion, this case will be dismissed."