JACKSON — Even as his son faces federal prosecution on Tuesday in the now-infamous Temporary Assistance for Needy Families scandal, former professional wrestler Ted DiBiase Sr. has an ongoing defamation lawsuit against Mississippi State Auditor Shad White filed in August of last year.
DiBiase is accusing White of defamation and seeking to halt publication of White’s book about the state’s welfare spending scandal.
In a complaint filed in Hinds County Circuit Court, DiBiase alleges White made false and defamatory statements about him in the book “Mississippi Swindle: Brett Favre and the Welfare Scandal that Shocked America,” which was published in August 2024 while related civil litigation was still pending.
The lawsuit never hit the news at the time it was filed. Court documents show White was served with the complaint on Nov. 19, 2025.
DiBiase, who is named as a defendant in a separate lawsuit brought by the Mississippi Department of Human Services, claims White’s statements wrongly portray him as culpable in the alleged misuse of federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families funds. DiBiase denies wrongdoing and says no court has ruled that he is liable for any of the allegations made in that case.
The lawsuit names White in his individual capacity, not as state auditor, and also includes unnamed defendants identified as John Does 1–10. DiBiase alleges White used his position and public platform to promote defamatory claims for personal and political gain.
According to the complaint, DiBiase says the statements damaged his reputation and led to the closure of his nonprofit organization, Heart of David Ministries, in January 2025. The ministry, founded in 2001, focused on Christian evangelism and encouragement.
The Department of Human Services lawsuit, filed in December 2022, alleges more than $1.7 million in TANF funds were improperly transferred to Heart of David Ministries and used for purposes not allowed under the federal program. DiBiase disputes those claims and says the case has not gone to trial.
In his complaint, DiBiase cites numerous passages from White’s book that he contends are false, misleading or defamatory, including statements suggesting improper use of welfare funds and characterizing activities tied to the ministry as unrelated to helping the poor.
The lawsuit asserts claims of negligence, gross negligence, recklessness, defamation and defamation per se. DiBiase is seeking compensatory and punitive damages, attorneys’ fees and court costs.
He is also asking the court to issue a temporary restraining order and injunction to stop further publication and distribution of the book, arguing that continued sales cause irreparable harm and could taint a potential jury pool in the pending DHS litigation.
Additionally, DiBiase is seeking a declaratory judgment stating that White does not have the right to publish the disputed allegations while the underlying civil case remains unresolved.
Court records show the case was filed in the First Judicial District of Hinds County.
In a motion filed Dec. 19, White asked the court to dismiss DiBiase’s lawsuit, arguing he is protected by “absolute privilege,” a legal doctrine that shields certain officials from defamation claims stemming from statements made in the course of their duties.
White also requested summary judgment, saying DiBiase cannot prove the statements in question were false or made with actual malice, which is a requirement for public figures. The filing further argues that DiBiase cannot reframe his defamation allegations as negligence and that his requests for an injunction and declaratory judgment amount to an unconstitutional prior restraint on White’s First Amendment rights.
In a separate filing on Dec. 29, DiBiase’s attorney, John Holaday, asked the court for additional time to respond to White’s motion. Holaday said the response was originally due Dec. 29 under court rules but requested an extension through Jan. 28, citing multiple court obligations, holiday scheduling conflicts and previously planned time away from the office.
Holaday wrote that the request was made in good faith and would not prejudice the defense, and noted he had not yet been able to confer with White’s counsel.
The lawsuit unfolds against the backdrop of the state’s long‑running welfare fraud scandal, in which two of DiBiase’s sons have been criminally implicated.
Brett DiBiase, Ted DiBiase Sr.’s youngest son, pleaded guilty in 2023 to his role in the misuse of federal TANF funds and was later sentenced in state court for fraud tied to payments he received for work he did not perform.
His older brother, former professional wrestler Ted “Teddy” DiBiase Jr., is scheduled to appear in federal court Tuesday on charges including wire fraud and theft concerning programs receiving federal funds. Prosecutors allege he improperly benefited from TANF‑funded contracts steered through nonprofit organizations at the center of the scandal. DiBiase Jr. disputes those claims.
