Brett Favre's SiriusXM Show Suspended Following Alleged Involvement in Welfare Fraud Case
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Former NFL quarterback Brett Favre's SiriusXM radio show and ESPN Milwaukee show have both been put on hold as news of his involvement in a Mississippi welfare fraud scandal continues to emerge.
On Sunday, a SiriusXM spokesperson confirmed to PEOPLE that 52-year-old Favre's The SiriusXM Blitz With Brett Favre and Bruce Murray, which released its most recent episode on Sept. 13, has been put on hold.
Favre, who played for the Atlanta Falcons, Green Bay Packers, New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings over a 20-year NFL career, has been hosting the show since 2018, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
On Sunday, NBC Sports reported that ESPN Milwaukee had temporarily suspended The Brett Favre Show, Favre's Green Bay Packers show.
A rep for Favre did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment Monday.
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Brett Favre: Will the media find out that we're using welfare funds intended to help the poorest residents of America's poorest state to build a volleyball center?
Nancy New: Nah. Oh yeah, the governor is fully on board!@ayewolfe five years later: https://t.co/rWXHRXISsu pic.twitter.com/wo3QuIYXaY— Adam Ganucheau (@GanucheauAdam) September 13, 2022
Favre and ex-Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant allegedly plotted together to use welfare funds meant for poor residents in Mississippi to build a new volleyball stadium, according to an investigative report from Mississippi Today published on Sept. 13.
Based on never-before-seen text messages sent between Favre and Bryant, 67, from 2017 to 2019, it appeared that the former Packers quarterback may have collaborated with Bryant to funnel at least $5 million of the state's welfare funds to build the stadium at the University of Southern Mississippi, where his daughter played volleyball.
Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Brett Favre
The texts were filed Sept. 12 as part of Mississippi's ongoing lawsuit over incorrectly used welfare funds. An attorney representing nonprofit founder Nancy New, who has already pleaded guilty to 13 felony counts of bribery, fraud and racketeering for taking part in the scheme, submitted the text messages.
In the released texts, Favre asks New, who is the founder of the Mississippi Community Education Center and was hired to distribute the welfare funds to help the state, "If you were to pay me is there anyway media can find out where it came from and how much?"
Favre, who played football for the school, was credited for raising money to fund the stadium project.
Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic Brett Favre
While New pleaded guilty to 13 felony counts following the scam, neither Bryant nor Favre have been charged with any crime, per Yahoo! News.
Favre's attorney, Bud Holmes, told Mississippi Today that the athlete did not know that the funding came from the state's welfare fund.
Favre's lawyer confirmed to NBC News on Sept. 1 that the former pro quarterback was interviewed by the FBI in relation to allegations that Mississippi paid him $1.1 million in 2017 and 2018 to make motivational speeches that he never gave. That amount of money was also taken from federal welfare funds.
Favre repaid the speaking fees, but not an additional $228,000 in interest the Mississippi state auditor demanded, according to NBC News.
According to U.S. Census Bureau data, Mississippi has the highest poverty rate in the United States.
