The three-time NFL MVP with the Green Bay Packers told ESPN Wisconsin's "Wilde & Tausch" radio show he instead was being paid for his role in radio public service announcements and advertisements that ran for a few years in Mississippi, where he lives. The Hall of Fame quarterback reiterated he is paying back the money.
"I did ads that ran for three years, was paid for it, no different than any other time that I've done endorsements for other people, and I went about my way," Favre said. "For [the auditor] to say I took $1.1 million and didn't show up for speaking engagements is absolutely, 100 percent not true."
An audit released Monday said Favre Enterprises received $500,000 in December 2017 and $600,000 in June 2018 from the Mississippi Community Education Center, a nonprofit group whose former leader has been indicted in an alleged welfare embezzlement scheme.
Favre emphasized Friday the money had nothing to do with scheduled speaking engagements and that he has "never no-showed anybody."
"That's not me," Favre said.
Auditor Shad White said late Friday that his office was told Favre was paid to give three speeches, cut one radio ad and give one keynote address. White said this was noted in a contract signed by Favre Enterprises' chief financial officer.
Asked when Favre performed those services, White said, MCEC provided one audio clip of a radio ad and dates of events Favre allegedly attended. White said his staff found Favre never attended the events.
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