Brett DiBiase has pled guilty.
WLBT reports that on Thursday, Brett DiBiase pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States in U.S. District Court. The federal charges are in connection with the state’s largest welfare embezzlement scandal.
DiBiase previously pled guilty to two charges in Hinds County Circuit Court. In addition to his sentence in state court, he faces up to five years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
DiBiase is one of several people tied to the fraud, which involved the embezzlement of millions of dollars in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families funding. He was paid $48,000 through his business Restore2, LLC, using a series of fraudulent and false claims to receive payment. He allegedly covered up these payments by falsifying documents, invoices, books, reports and ledgers.
Investigators say former DHS workers created invoices to pay DiBiase for teaching classes about drug abuse.
“I applaud our federal partners for continuing to pursue federal charges for each and every individual responsible for stealing from Mississippi’s most needy and vulnerable citizens,” said District Attorney Jody Owens. “As I have said before, this case is far from over and both the state of Mississippi and the U.S. government will continue to pursue all those involved in this fraud.”
Brett spent the majority of his wrestling career in FCW, WWE's developmental territory at the time, from 2008 to 2011. During his time in FCW, Brett won the FCW Florida Tag Team Championship.
