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Ted DiBiase Jr. Acquitted on All Counts in Mississippi Welfare-Funds Trial

The verdict ends the sole criminal jury case in Mississippi’s welfare-funds scandal.

Overview

  • Jurors in Jackson returned not-guilty verdicts on all 13 charges after roughly four hours of deliberation.
  • DiBiase had faced conspiracy, wire fraud, theft concerning programs receiving federal funds, and money laundering counts.
  • Prosecutors alleged his companies took more than $2 million through sham contracts and personal purchases, while the defense said he fulfilled the work and pointed to ex–human services chief John Davis.
  • He was the only person charged in the scandal to go before a jury as others, including nonprofit leaders and his brother Brett, entered guilty pleas.
  • The broader probe found over $77 million in misspent TANF funds, and civil efforts to recover tens of millions continue against multiple defendants, including Brett Favre, Phil Bryant, and Ted DiBiase Sr.