An investigative report has revealed that former Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant helped Brett Favre obtain welfare funds in order to help build a new volleyball center at the University of Southern Mississippi.

Mississippi Today reviewed text messages from 2017 and 2019 that were filed Monday in the state of Mississippi's civil lawsuit over misspent welfare funds. 

State auditors determined nonprofit leaders misspent at least $77 million in welfare funds in the largest case of public fraud in Mississippi history.

The texts show Favre, Nancy New and Bryant discussing how to divert at least $5 million in welfare funds to build a volleyball stadium at Southern Miss. Favre played football at Southern Miss, and his daughter was a volleyball player there at the time some of the texts were sent.