The federal fraud trial of Ted DiBiase Jr. has become one of the most talked-about courtroom dramas in the country. It has everything — a famous wrestling family name, millions of dollars meant for Mississippi’s poorest residents, secret text messages, luxury trips on taxpayer money, and a defense team that has fought tooth and nail to keep their client out of prison. As of mid-March 2026, the trial is still underway, and the testimony coming out of Jackson, Mississippi is painting a picture far more complicated than most people expected.
Here is a full breakdown of the charges, the key moments in court, and where the case stands right now.
Stay in the loop — this trial is moving fast and major developments are happening week by week. Keep reading for the most complete update available.
What Ted DiBiase Jr. Is Actually Charged With
The charges against the former WWE star are serious and wide-ranging. DiBiase faces one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and theft, six counts of wire fraud, two counts of theft involving federal programs, and four counts of money laundering. If convicted on all counts, he could face up to 45 years in federal prison and fines reaching $1 million.
Prosecutors say that DiBiase, through his companies Priceless Ventures LLC and Familiae Orientem LLC, received at least five contracts funded with federal welfare dollars — specifically money from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program and the Emergency Food Assistance Program. Those programs exist to help the most vulnerable people in the poorest state in America. According to the government, the money never reached the people it was intended to help.
DiBiase is the only person in the entire Mississippi welfare scandal to face a criminal trial. Seven other individuals have already pleaded guilty, including his own brother, Brett DiBiase, who admitted to conspiring to defraud the United States.
How $3.9 Million Flowed to DiBiase
The prosecution has presented detailed financial records showing exactly how the money moved. Two nonprofit organizations — the Mississippi Community Education Center and the Family Resource Center of North Mississippi — served as the pipeline. Both were run by women who have since pleaded guilty to their roles in the scheme.
The head of the Mississippi Department of Human Services at the time, John Davis, allegedly directed both nonprofits to steer contracts to DiBiase. Davis himself has pleaded guilty and testified as the prosecution’s star witness.
In total, DiBiase received contracts from both organizations worth more than $3.9 million. His single biggest payday came on May 17, 2018, when he reportedly received checks totaling more than $1 million in a single day — a combination of two $250,000 checks, a $500,000 payment, and a monthly stipend.
Witnesses who worked at these nonprofits testified that DiBiase never submitted reports, never delivered required documentation, and never performed the services outlined in the contracts. One former nonprofit employee told the jury that her organization sent DiBiase multiple written requests for monthly activity reports and received nothing in return. She testified the organization eventually stopped his funding, but by then the damage was done.
Lavish Spending and a Non-Employee With an Executive Office
Several witnesses described an arrangement that raised eyebrows throughout the courtroom. Despite never being an employee of the Mississippi Department of Human Services, DiBiase reportedly had his own office in the agency’s executive suite — the only non-employee given that access.
He also received cash advance payments upfront, a practice that a former agency CFO described as highly unusual. The standard process requires organizations to spend money first, submit documentation, and then receive reimbursement. DiBiase operated outside those rules entirely.
Testimony also revealed that a California trip taken by DiBiase and Davis in June 2019 generated more than $4,000 in airfare and hotel receipts, which were later sent to a nonprofit to be reimbursed with state tax dollars. An assistant to Davis told jurors she served as an unofficial helper to DiBiase — booking trips, personal errands, and other requests — even though he held no official position with the agency.
A former agency financial officer also testified that she uncovered nearly $1 million in expenses she described as questionable, all tied to DiBiase’s leadership curriculum program. Those expenses included branded polo shirts, jackets, a lavish gala, flowers, food, and beverages.
Welfare dollars, prosecutors argue, covered it all.
Text Messages, Personal Relationships, and a Striking Film Premiere
The trial has had no shortage of dramatic moments. Private text messages between DiBiase, his brother Brett, and Davis were introduced into evidence. Prosecutors argued those messages showed an unusually close personal relationship that played a direct role in funneling lucrative contracts to DiBiase. Davis admitted on the stand that he grew very close to both DiBiase brothers and would do whatever it took to help them.
In one of the trial’s more unusual moments, testimony revealed that state welfare funds were used to help finance a movie theater premiere for a film about DiBiase’s father — Ted DiBiase Sr., known in wrestling as the “Million Dollar Man.” When asked whether that expense met the nonprofit’s goals, the witness answered that she did not recall those goals applying to the event, and that the nonprofit would not have funded it without being told to.
The judge ruled that a radio recording featuring DiBiase alongside former NFL quarterback Brett Favre would not be played for the jury, after determining it could not be properly authenticated. The decision prompted a visible reaction from DiBiase’s mother in the courtroom.
The Defense Pushes Back
DiBiase’s legal team has been aggressive throughout the trial. Their central argument is simple: their client earned every dollar, performed real work, and stole nothing. Attorneys have pointed to television and radio commercials DiBiase produced, leadership training events he held across the state and around the country, and youth rallies he organized as evidence that the contracts were not shams.
The defense also argues that none of the contracts ever required DiBiase to submit reports on how the money was spent — meaning, they say, he was following the rules as they were written. They initially attempted to introduce more than 47 hours of video footage showing DiBiase conducting training sessions, arguing the recordings directly prove he did the work. Prosecutors objected, and the judge ruled some of those recordings inadmissible.
The trial itself has been plagued by disruptions. The lead defense attorney suffered a sudden medical emergency mid-trial, prompting the defense to request a mistrial. The judge denied that request twice, allowing a replacement attorney to take over and continuing proceedings into 2026.
Where the Trial Stands Right Now
As of mid-March 2026, the prosecution is still presenting its case. At least four more witnesses are expected to take the stand when proceedings resume. The jury has heard weeks of testimony detailing financial records, personal relationships, luxury expenses, and conflicting accounts of what work, if any, was actually performed under the contracts.
The prosecution says DiBiase pocketed millions meant for struggling families without doing a single hour of legitimate work. The defense says he was a legitimate contractor who was never told to file reports and who has become the only person in a sprawling, multi-defendant scandal to face a jury.
The verdict will likely be weeks away — but when it comes, it will close one of the most significant public corruption cases in Mississippi history.
What do you think the verdict will be? Drop your thoughts in the comments below and check back here as the Ted DiBiase Jr. trial moves toward its final chapter.
