Jury Acquits Ted DiBiase Jr. in Mississippi Welfare Case

A federal jury in Jackson, Mississippi, acquitted former WWE wrestler Ted DiBiase Jr. on all 13 charges related to the alleged misappropriation of millions in welfare funds intended for the state's poorest families. The verdict came after roughly four hours of deliberations on March 20, following a two-month trial that highlighted one of Mississippi's largest public corruption scandals.

DiBiase, 43, the son of wrestling legend Ted DiBiase Sr., faced accusations of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, six counts of wire fraud, theft concerning programs receiving federal funds, and money laundering. Prosecutors alleged he received more than $3.2 million between 2017 and 2019 through contracts with two of his companies, Priceless Ventures LLC and Familiae Orientem LLC. These funds, drawn from federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) dollars, were routed via subgrantees of the Mississippi Department of Human Services (MDHS). Authorities claimed the contracts, for services such as leadership training, emergency food assessments, and poverty-combating app development, were largely unfulfilled, with the money instead financing...