NFL legend Brett Farve revealed that he was recently diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in front of Congress.
Farve Opened up During TANF Hearing
The Hall of Fame quarterback disclosed his condition to the House Ways and Means Committee on Tuesday during a congressional hearing on his alleged misuse of taxpayer money. Favre has been accused of improperly using political connections to redirect $8 million in TANF funds to himself, his alma mater and Prevacus, a drug company he was funding.
"Sadly, I also lost an investment in a company that I believed was developing a breakthrough concussion drug I thought would help others, and I'm sure you'll understand why it's too late for me because I've recently been diagnosed with Parkinson's," Favre told lawmakers during his deposition.
Parkinson's disease is a condition that causes deterioration in the brain and unintended or uncontrollable movements. Over one million people in the US live with the disease and studies found that former football players who had longer playing history and higher level of competition were more likely to have a form of the condition. During a 2018 Interview Favre said he could have suffered more than 1,000 concussions over the course of his 20-year career.
Farve continued his statement in court lamenting on how important the miracle drug was to him, saying the cause was "dear to [his] heart." Jacob VanLandingham, the founder of Prevacus, admitted to using Mississippi welfare money to pay off gambling and other debts and plead guilty to wire fraud in July.
Mississippi State Audit Revealed Misappropriated Funds
According to a 2019 Mississippi state audit, at least $77 million in TANF funding intended for low-income families was diverted to people not in need. The Hall of Fame QB improperly received $1.1 million in federal TANF funds through the state for speaking engagements that he never made. He was also accused of using his ties for former Gov. Phil Bryant to lobby for funds to go to a new volleyball facility at the University of Southern Mississippi.
"I wanted to help my alma mater and benefit the community," Favre told Congress. "Southern Miss introduced me to the nonprofit to see if they could help with funding. I had no way of knowing that there was anything wrong with how the state funded the project, especially since it was publicly approved by many state agencies and multiple attorneys including the Attorney General."
