Mississippi welfare funds scandal

The Mississippi welfare funds scandal, also known as the Mississippi welfare fraud scheme, was a major welfare fraud investigation from 2020 to 2023 in the U.S. state of Mississippi, in which several high-profile figures were implicated in allegations of misuse regarding federal welfare funds that were traced to the Mississippi Department of Human Services. The investigation also uncovered attempted laundering of the funds through 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, in attempts to conceal the fraud. Investigative journalist Anna Wolfe, who reported the scandal for Mississippi Today, won the Pulitzer Prize for Local Reporting in 2023.

In February 2020, the office of the Mississippi State Auditor arrested six people it accused of mishandling federal funds disbursed by the Mississippi Department of Human Services, including the department's former director. In May, the auditor's office released a report identifying $94 million in questionable spending by the department, much of it being funneled through two nonprofits, the Mississippi Community Education Center and Family Resource Center of North Mississippi.

The auditing investigations found that the money was made available to several high-profile figures for various purposes, including three retired athletes: former professional football star Brett Favre and former wrestlers Brett DiBiase and Ted DiBiase Jr. The revelation of the state investigation also triggered a federal investigation.