facebook pixel
A federal jury in Mississippi found former WWE wrestler Ted DiBiase Jr. not guilty on all 13 charges in his welfare fraud trial on Thursday after deliberating for four hours. DiBiase, 43, faced one count of conspiracy, six counts of wire fraud, two counts of theft concerning programs receiving federal funds, and four counts of money laundering. The jury returned a not guilty verdict on every count. Prosecutors alleged DiBiase received approximately $3.5 million in federal welfare funds through sham contracts and used the money to purchase a $1.4 million home, a boat, a tractor, and a truck. Defense attorneys maintained DiBiase performed legitimate services and that the contracts never required him to submit reports. The trial ran for several weeks with 20 witnesses. It was paused for over a month in January when DiBiase's lead attorney fell ill. The court denied multiple mistrial requests. The case was part of what prosecutors called Mississippi's largest public embezzlement scandal...

 8.1k

 463

    Suggested Credits
    Tags, Events, and Projects