Community Chat

[MorningLover]

Oct. 13, 2021

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - Mississippi state auditor Shad White’s office has served demands for more than $77 million of  misspent Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) money.

“Two years ago my office audited DHS,” said White in a statement received by WLBT. “After two years of work, we found tens of millions of dollars in misspending ... It’s time for the taxpayers to attempt to recover what we lost.”

The auditor’s office uncovered what it says was the largest public embezzlement scheme in state history. 

The auditor’s office issued a demand to John Davis, former Department of Human Services executive director, for $96.313 million for his role authorizing over $77 million in illegal TANF spending. This includes interest.

Two nonprofits, the Mississippi Community Education Center (MCEC) and the Family Resource Center (FRC), also either misspent or improperly dispersed portions of that $77 million, according to the audit. As a result, the board and leadership of MCEC were served with a demand for $68.159 million.

Auditors issued additional demands to vendors who received part of the $77 million in welfare spending but did not completely fulfill the terms of their contracts.

According to White, the board members, nonprofit executives, and individuals who were served are liable jointly and severally for the demands. This means the individuals share responsibility for repaying portions of the total amount with John Davis.

If the demanded amounts are not repaid within 30 days, the attorney general’s office is responsible for enforcing the demands in court.

These demands are civil in nature, not criminal.

Below are the list of vendors who received part of the $77 million but who have not completely fulfilled the terms of their contracts:

• Austin Smith: $378,791
• Former professional wrestler Brett Dibiase, son of wrestling legend Ted DiBiase Sr.: $225,950
• Favre Enterprises, along with Brett Favre and Robert Culumber: $828,000
• Heart of David Ministries, controlled by Ted Dibiase Sr.: $722,299
• JTS Enterprises and Transformational Ventures, controlled by Brian Jeff Smith: $674,715
• The Marcus Dupree Foundation, controlled by former NFL running back Marcus Dupree: $789,534
• Nancy New: $2,589 (for payments received from FRC)
• NCC Ventures, controlled by Nicholas Coughlin: $237,915
• Ted Dibiase Jr.: $3.903 million
• Warren Washington Issaquena Sharkey Community Action Agency, along with agency leaders Jan Vaughn, Jannis Williams, Janice Jelks, and Delinda Robinson: $75,261
• Zach New: $74,118 (for payments received from FRC)

[Porcelain]

He's a welfare deadbeat. Same rules for everyone.

[SharkE]

Not into sports at all, but, sounds like he took too many hits on the head.

[novamc1]

I know nothing detailed about his situation.

But is it possible that he is among  the celebrity and pro-sports victims who allowed  their finances and other business affairs to be managed by trusted "experts" who turned out to be crooked, greedy embezzlers?

Maybe the complete story hasn't been told yet.

[Twins Mom]

Interesting to read this post.  I had just heard a couple of weeks ago that there is a large group of professional basketball players who have been charged with defrauding their health insurance.  Apparently they were also needing more $.  

[Mom2Dogs]

Our small business applied for and received some money from the state when covid closed our business and then when we reopened it was very slow.  We had to jump thru hoops to fill out the paperwork on line so the state knew exactly what we made week by week for the couple of months that we were compensated.  

When we would call for assistance, oh my, on hold for quite a long time and then spoke with people working from home, with chilldren crying or playing in the background.

Honestly sometimes we thought about not trying for any money, it's scary thinking we would make a mistake and then have the state accuse us of cheating.  I have a hard time believeing that Farve did this on his own...but obviously I don't know that.

[gertrudecloset]

October 27, 2021, 10:08 PM

Why was my thread deleted?  There are dupes all over this forum bringing up the same subject matter over and over again.  When I do it, it's wrong?  How many I'm upset about a shipper?  How many like Amazon?  Whatever.....

In any event, he thought he was gonna help Mississippi TANF recipients.  How the heck do you take fees and not know where they are coming from?  Don't you need to know that for tax purposes?

He' a thief.

“If he does not pay that within 30 days of our demand, the AG will be responsible for enforcing the payment of the interest in court,” Mississippi auditor Shad White said Wednesday, via the Associated Press.

[Teddixat]

@MorningLover   And he's also a liar!  Shameful