The U.S. Department of Justice revealed charges for Theodore Marvin DiBiase Jr., better known as Ted DiBiase Jr., for his alleged role in the Mississippi welfare funds scandal. DiBiase was in WWE from 2007 to 2013, where he and Cody Rhodes were two-time World Tag Team Champions.
According to the indictment, DiBiase and his co-conspirators allegedly obtained federal funds fraudulently, and misappropriated millions of dollars for personal use. Among the things DiBiase was accused of spending federal funds on was a vehicle, a boat, and the down payment on a house.
These charges come nearly six weeks after DiBiase’s brother, Brett DiBiase, entered a guilty plea for “conspiracy to defraud the United States.” Brett faces a maximum sentence of five years.
Ted Jr. was charged with a total of 13 counts, including one count of “conspiracy to commit wire fraud,” one count “to commit theft concerning programs receiving federal funds,” two counts of “theft concerning programs receiving federal funds,” four counts of “money laundering,” and six counts of “wire fraud.” Maximum prison sentences include five years for the conspiracy count, 10 years for each theft count and money laundering count, and 20 years for each wire fraud count.
While he isn’t involved in this specific case, this is the same welfare funds scandal that involves Brett Favre. Favre has been sued in civil court, but he hasn’t been criminally charged. Favre filed a defamation lawsuit Pat McAfee, Shannon Sharpe, and Mississippi state auditor Shad White back in February.
[Department of Justice/Photo: WAPT]
