Former wrestling star’s government funding under scrutiny United States
The state of Mississippi gave more than US$2.1 million (NZ$3.2m) in federal welfare money to a ministry run by former pro wrestler Ted DiBiase Sr, who was known in the ring as ‘‘The Million Dollar Man’’ and is the father of a man recently indicted on charges of embezzling federal welfare money from the state.
Ted DiBiase Sr himself hasn’t been indicted.
The Clarion Ledger has reported that DiBiase’s Heart of David Ministries had a contract with the Mississippi Department of Human Services for a subgrant of Temporary Assistance Needy Families funds.
As a wrestler, Ted DiBiase Sr wore a golden championship belt and suit adorned with dollar signs. He later became a to
Christian preacher, and formed a non-profit in Mississippi called Heart of David Ministries.
His son, Brett DiBiase, whose own wrestling career was derailed by injury, was one of six people indicted last week on charges of embezzling more than US$4m in federal welfare funds.
Brett DiBiase was hired in February 2017 by the state’s Department of Human Services. He was promoted that August, but was gone six weeks later.
Indictments allege that the department’s then-director, John Davis, and employee Latimer Smith faked invoices to channel US$48,000 so DiBiase could attend drug treatment in Malibu, California.
The department has also confirmed that the Mississippi Community Education Centre paid Brett DiBiase’s brother, Ted DiBiase Jr, to provide training to human services employees. The centre’s leaders, Nancy New and Zach New, were charged with stealing more than US$4m in welfare funds that Davis directed to the non-profit, which was supposed to help poor people find work, childcare and education.
Heart of David Ministries saw its revenues double in the year Brett DiBiase was hired by the state, tax exemption filings show.
It is unclear exactly how Heart of David spent all of the US$2,126,739 it received from May 2017 until early this budget year. It pledged in one 2018 contract to ‘‘establish a network of partnerships, services and resources throughout Mississippi communities for faith-based and self activities’’.