Jurors on Friday found entrepreneur and former pro wrestler Ted “Teddy” DiBiase Jr. not guilty of all 13 counts of federal crimes after he accepted nearly $3 million in federal funds designed to help poor residents and spent the money on luxury items.
DiBiase was just one of dozens of people who received these funds supposedly to carry out the mission of an anti-poverty initiative called Families First for Mississippi under a now disgraced former agency director. By some estimates, state and nonprofit officials frittered away $100 million between 2016 and 2019 while serving few.
But the former WWE star was one of just eight people criminally charged over the misspending. The other seven pleaded guilty.
The verdict in DiBiase’s case answers a longstanding question about whether his conduct – which is similar to that of many other characters in the larger scheme – constituted a crime. The jury deliberated for about four hours Friday.
Six people still await federal sentencing after pleading guilty to roles in the welfare scheme years ago and agreeing to aid the U.S. Attorney’s Office in its ongoing case. These are former Mississippi Department of Human Services Director John Davis, nonprofit directors Nancy New and Christi Webb, New’s son Zach New, DiBiase’s brother Brett DiBiase, and a Florida-based neuroscientist Jake Vanlandingham. A seventh defendant, Anne McGrew, awaits sentencing in state court.
This story will be updated.
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