Text messages revealed in court are now at the center of the federal welfare fraud trial involving Ted DiBiase Jr. — and prosecutors say the messages show just how personal the relationship became between the DiBiase family and a powerful Mississippi official.
According to reporting from 16 WAPT News Jackson, prosecutors introduced a series of texts exchanged between DiBiase Jr., his brother Brett DiBiase, and former Mississippi Department of Human Services director John Davis.
The messages, read aloud in court, were used to demonstrate what prosecutors described as an unusually intimate relationship between Davis and the DiBiase brothers while millions in federal welfare funds were being distributed.
One exchange from 2018 between Brett DiBiase and Davis stunned the courtroom when Brett admitted how strongly he felt about the official.
“I don’t know where I stand with you… Every time I think of you I want to be with you.”
Davis responded with a message that prosecutors say revealed just how close the relationship had become, “I love you. I love you. I love you.” Another text from Brett painted an even more emotional picture.
“It’s only when I’m with you I feel safe enough to sleep.”
During testimony, Davis acknowledged the relationship had grown deeply personal, “I got very close to Brett,” Davis admitted. The court also heard about a separate exchange involving Ted DiBiase Jr. himself, where Davis expressed extreme loyalty toward the former WWE star.
“I will freaking die for you.”
DiBiase Jr. replied with a message echoing the same sentiment, writing, “It would be my honor to die for you, bro.”
Prosecutors argue that these emotional ties played a key role in how Ted DiBiase Jr. allegedly received millions of dollars in federal welfare funds through nonprofit contracts connected to the Mississippi Department of Human Services.
The government claims roughly $2.9 million from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program was funneled through contracts that lacked oversight, with investigators alleging the money was used for personal expenses rather than public programs.
As the trial continues, the messages are becoming one of the most talked-about pieces of evidence presented to the jury.
Do you think these text messages could sway the outcome of Ted DiBiase Jr.’s trial? Let us know what you think and drop your thoughts in the comments.