A previous Mississippi Department of Human Solutions director has actually been prosecuted on 20 extra felony charges connected to accusations that he got involved in misusing cash that was expected to help some of the poorest people in the country, consisting of some invested to send out a previous professional wrestler to a high-end drug rehab facility.
John Davis of Brookhaven has actually pleaded innocent to the new charges of bribery, conspiracy and making incorrect declarations to the federal government. The indictments were unsealed today, days after he got in the plea.
In early 2020, Davis and 5 others were charged in what the state auditor called the biggest public corruption case in Mississippi in the previous twenty years. Davis and some of the other accuseds are still waiting for trial.
Davis was a long time Department of Human Solutions staff member who was picked to lead the firm in 2016 by the Republican guv at the time, Phil Bryant. Davis retired in July 2019.
Like the previous charges, lots of of the new ones versus Davis are linked to federal cash from Temporary Assistance to Clingy Households, which the Department of Human Solutions paid to not-for-profit education companies run by mom and child Nancy New and Zachary New.
More: MS Department of Human Solutions continued to pay New family nonprofits after discovering of possible scams
More: 100 Black Male of Jackson target of federal well-being scams examination, authorities state
The new indictments declare those companies, with Davis’ understanding, paid $160,000 for drug rehab in Malibu, California, for previous professional wrestler Brett DiBiase; that Davis worked with DiBiase for a Department of Human Solutions task that needed a college degree, understanding DiBiase did not have a degree; and that the department paid DiBiase $48,000 for work he did refrain from doing.
Court records reveal a Hinds County grand jury released the current indictments on April 8. An April 12 court file revealed Davis pleaded innocent to all the charges, as he had to the previousones Hinds County Circuit Judge Adrienne Wooten set a Sept. 26 trial date on the new charges.
DiBiase pleaded guilty in December 2020 to one count of making an incorrect declaration. He stated in court files that he had actually sent files and got complete payment for work he did not total. He concurred to pay $48,000 in restitution, and his sentencing was postponed.
Mississippi Auditor Shad White has actually required payment of $77 million of wasted well-being funds, consisting of cash paid to retired NFL quarterback Brett Favre, who lives in Mississippi. Favre has actually not been charged with any criminal misdeed.
White stated Favre got $1.1 million for speeches however did disappoint up for them. Favre has actually paid back the cash, however White stated in October that Favre still owed $228,000 in interest. In a Facebook post when he paid back the very first $500,000, Favre stated he didn’t understand the cash he got originated from well-being funds. He likewise stated his charity had actually offered millions of dollars to bad kids in Mississippi and Wisconsin.
More: Secret findings from the Clarion Journal’s examination into Mississippi well-being cash
A current series of investigative reports by Mississippi Today has actually focused on the corruption case, consisting of personal interaction in between Bryant and Davis about Human Solutionsprograms The NAACP has actually called on the Justice Department to examine costs in the Department of Human Solutions. Nancy New and Zachary New were prosecuted in March 2021 on federal charges of fraudulently getting cash from the Mississippi Department of Education. They are waiting for trial.