Former WWE wrestler Ted DiBiase Jr. found not guilty in welfare scandal
Ted DiBiase Jr.’s legal battle is now over with him being found not guilty on all 13 charges he was facing.
On Friday, a Mississippi jury returned “not guilty” verdicts on every charge DiBiase was accused of, which included embezzlement, conspiracy, wire fraud, and money laundering. The case stemmed from a welfare fraud scandal where the DiBiase family and others — including NFL legend Brett Favre — were accused of inappropriately receiving millions of dollars in government funds.
The charges against DiBiase could have seen him sentenced to more than 160 years in federal prison if he were convicted on all counts.
After the verdict was delivered, an emotional DiBiase spoke to media outside the courthouse. He also was seen hugging his brother Brett, who previously pleaded guilty in the scandal.
“They got it right. And I give all the glory to God. I give all the credit to my lord and savior, to [my legal team]. I think they did an amazing job of portraying the truth,” DiBiase said. “Seven years of being slandered and made to be something that is completely false has about torn my family apart, but we’re strong. And I’ve had so many friends and so much family that have come around us. And I’m proud that we’ve walked through this. And I’m so thankful that it’s over.”
At the center of the scandal was a Mississippi official named John Davis who was close friends with DiBiase.
“The welfare scandal came to light in 2020 when the former director of the Mississippi Department of Human Services, John Davis, was indicted on fraud and embezzlement charges alongside several others, including Ted DiBiase Jr.’s brother former pro-wrestler Brett DiBiase,” WFTV News in Mississippi wrote.
“Federal indictments accuse Davis of directing the federal dollars to two nonprofits, which then awarded ‘sham contracts’ to various people and organizations, including several companies owned by DiBiase, for social services that were never provided.”
DiBiase is a former Tag Team Champion for WWE and is best known in wrestling for being part of The Legacy with Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes. He last wrestled for the company in 2013.
Joseph Currier is the lead editor of F4WOnline.com, directing daily news coverage and writing articles on professional wrestling. He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, obtaining a journalism degree in 2016. Joseph joined F4W during his time at UMass and has now been writing about the industry for nearly a decade.
In addition to his work with F4W, Joseph has previously contributed to Sports Illustrated's wrestling coverage. He lives in Massachusetts and is a diehard fan of the Boston sports teams and Liverpool Football Club.