A jury unanimously acquitted former pro-wrestler Ted DiBiase, Jr. Friday, on 13 criminal charges related to the state’s $77 million welfare fraud scandal.
He faced up to 185 years in prison on charges including wire fraud, conspiracy, theft and money laundering.
Shamira Muhammad
Ted DiBiase Jr. found not guilty on all criminal charges related to state's welfare fraud scandal
Federal prosecutors had accused him of misappropriating funds intended for Mississippi’s most vulnerable residents. DiBiase received contracts worth more than $3 million through two non-profits contracting with the state’s department of human services. Prosecutors alleged he spent the money on trips, a $1.5 million home in Madison and other luxury items.
“I give all the credit to my Lord and Savior,” DiBiase said as he left the Thad Cochran Federal Courthouse in Jackson, still tearful from the verdict.
“Seven years of being slandered and made to be something that is completely false,” he said. “It's about torn my family apart, but we're strong.”
Several witnesses, including former DHS director John Davis, testified that DiBiase had not fulfilled contractual obligations after receiving more than $3 million from the state’s TANF and TEFAP programs.
DiBiase, who audibly sobbed as the verdicts were read, said he was relieved.
“I might go cut my grass today,” he said. “I'm going to live again and I'm going to continue to serve people because that really is who I am. I do care about every Mississippian. All the doubters, or haters, or people that have maybe had false information and not all the information, I forgive you and I love you too.”
Jurors deliberated for just over four hours before reaching a verdict.
"These jurors heard the whole story," DiBiase’s defense attorney Scott Gilbert said. "Not part of the story, not a slanted story, not an abridged version. They got the entire story and then they followed the law and they made the right decision in this."
The former directors, Nancy New and Christi Webb, of two nonprofit organizations had previously pleaded guilty to federal criminal charges related to the welfare scandal. They also testified during the trial. Their organizations were responsible for dispersing funds to DiBiase. Both New and Webb testified to seeing almost no evidence of DiBiase fulfilling his contracts and feeling pressure from Davis to continue doling out money to DiBiase.
“Teddy trusted those folks to guide them in the right direction,” said Gilbert, DiBiase's attorney. “Unfortunately, it got him in a difficult spot. I'm sure there are plenty of things Teddy would do differently now if he had the chance to do it again.”
U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves also cleared DiBiase of any obligations related to his bond.
“For six years of his life, he's been unemployable,” said Gilbert. “He's been unable to do anything at all to help support and take care of his family. Today that comes to an end.”
In a statement, State Auditor Shad White said “While I’m disappointed in the result of the trial, nothing changes the fact that seven people have already pleaded guilty to state or federal charges because of the welfare scandal. My hope now is that the state’s lawyers will be able to recover as much of the misspent money as possible in civil court so hard-working taxpayers can see some accountability for what happened here.”