By Sam Cabral
BBC News, Washington
Former American football star Brett Favre has filed defamation lawsuits against Mississippi's state auditor and two popular sports media personalities.
The Hall of Fame ex-quarterback is embroiled in a sprawling civil suit involving the alleged misuse of state welfare funds.
Mr Favre, 53, has not been criminally charged and denies wrongdoing.
His suits target state auditor Shad White, and commentators Shannon Sharpe and Pat McAfee.
State investigators have been probing how $77m (64m) in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds meant for the state's neediest families was made available to wealthy Mississippians for various purposes.
Five people - including former professional wrestler Brett DiBiase - have so far pleaded guilty to federal and state charges in what has been described as the state's "largest public fraud scheme".
Mr Favre was accused of diverting $5m to build a volleyball facility at the University of Southern Mississippi, his alma mater, at the time his daughter played on the team.
He was also reportedly paid $1.1m in TANF funds for speaking engagements that never occurred. He has repaid that sum in full, but Mr White's office argues he still owes $228,000 in interest payments.
Investigators claim he knew he was receiving government money from an agency responsible for handling programs that help the poor, but Mr Favre strongly maintains he did not not.
His suit against Mr White accuses the auditor of "an...
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