Former NFL quarterback Brett Favre is currently being sued by the state of Mississippi for using $5,000,000 in welfare funds to pay for a new volleyball court at the University of Southern Mississippi, Favre’s alma mater and the school his daughter currently attends.

The lawsuit was filed in May against Favre and 38 others for the misuse of over 20 million dollars in Mississippi state welfare funds. Favre had been working with former Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant and the head of the Mississippi welfare agency, John Davis, in order to elicit funds through the state’s welfare program, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families.

“We are not taking no for an answer!” Favre said in a text to Bryant. regarding the necessary volleyball court funds.

Recently released text messages between Favre and Nancy New, executive director of the Mississippi Community Education center, revealed cooperation between New, Favre, Davis, and Bryant in the misuse of the community center’s welfare funding.

“Nancy thank you again!!! John [Davis] mentioned 4 million and not sure if I heard him right. Very big deal and can’t thank you enough,” Favre said in a text to New after a meeting about the project.

New set up phony sponsorships and speeches in order to help get the money to Favre, and in April of this year, pleaded guilty to the charges of federal wire fraud in addition to stating that she will testify against any other guilty parties. In September, Davis pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy and theft of the funds. This means that New’s possible testimony is still a threat to Bryant, whose lawyer claims he did nothing wrong, stating that the incriminating evidence is “cherry-picked” from the original texts.

“The allegation is patently false,” Bryant’s lawyer William M. Quinn II said in a press release.

The investigation is still under way and, as of right now, Favre has not been charged with any criminal activity. He claims that he is innocent and says he did not realize that the money being spent was taken out of the city’s welfare fund.

“I would never knowingly take funds meant to help our neighbors in need,” Favre said on a recent Facebook post. ”I’m doing all that I can to support this investigation to make things right for the people of Mississippi.”

Since his days with the Green Bay Packers, Brett Favre has been revered as a prominent public figure in his community, so this news comes as a shock to many people who looked up to him. Favre continues to maintain his innocence in the case but no one can know for sure until new evidence comes to light.