Brett Favre revealed that he was recognized with Parkinson’s illness in a congressional listening to on welfare accountability Tuesday.
Favre testified on the listening to of the Home Methods and Means Committee within the wake of allegations he was a part of a scheme to make use of Short-term Help for Needy Households (TANF) state funds for private tasks.
The quarterback informed lawmakers that the scandal has damage him in varied methods, and instructed his Parkinson’s prognosis was attributable to concussions throughout his taking part in profession.
“Sadly, I also lost my investment in a company that I believed was developing a breakthrough concussion drug I thought would help others. As I’m sure you’ll understand, while it’s too late for me — I’ve recently been diagnosed with Parkinson’s — this is also a cause dear to my heart,” he stated.
Favre was accused of encouraging native officers to make use of welfare cash to construct an athletic facility and help the event of a concussion drug. A Mississippi state audit discovered that some $5 million in TANF assets was reallocated to pay for the development of a volleyball facility at Favre’s alma mater — the College of Southern Mississippi, the place his daughter was then taking part in volleyball — and that $1.7 million was directed towards an organization named Prevacus, which is working to develop the concussion treatment, and the place he’s an investor.
The previous quarterback additionally allegedly obtained $1.1 million in talking charges for speeches he by no means gave, which his attorneys say he has repaid.
Favre testified at Tuesday’s listening to that state officers have been guilty for the misuse of funds.
“The challenges my family and I have faced over the last three years because certain government officials in Mississippi failed to protect federal TANF funds from fraud and abuse, and are unjustifiably trying to blame me,” Favre stated.
“Those challenges have hurt my good name and are worse than anything I have faced in football,” he added.
Favre claimed that when the scenario began, he did not know what TANF was, however now sees it as one of many “most important” welfare applications within the nation. And he stated that when he came upon that TANF funds have been being “improperly used,” even earlier than he was being sued, he returned the funds to the state.
“I knew and I know I had done nothing wrong. I returned the funds — no questions asked,” he stated on the listening to.
Thus far, Favre has not been charged criminally within the welfare fraud case, however a few of his alleged co-conspirators have. Prevacus’s founder, Jacob VanLandingham, pleaded responsible to wire fraud in July.
In keeping with knowledge from the World Well being Group (WHO) final 12 months, the prevalence of Parkinson’s illness has doubled previously 25 years.
Concussions are related to a big improve in probabilities of creating the illness. A broadly cited examine in 2018 discovered {that a} single traumatic mind damage raised the probability of Parkinson’s by as a lot as 56 %
There isn’t a remedy for Parkinson’s, however there are remedies that may delay and enhance high quality of life for these recognized with the illness.
