Ted DiBiase Jr. was found not guilty on Friday as a jury rendered its verdict in the Mississippi welfare scam trial.
The Clarion Ledger reports that after four hours of deliberations, the jury found the former WWE wrestler not guilty on the thirteen counts he was facing. It included six counts of wire fraud, four counts of money laundering, two counts of theft concerning programs receiving federal funding, and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and theft concerning federal funds.
While the 43-year-old did not testify in the trial, he pleaded not guilty at its onset, which began in early January but was temporarily halted one week later when the lead defense fell ill. The trial resumed on February 23.
He was accused by the federal prosecutors of misappropriating over a million dollars of funds designated for families in need and low-income citizens of the state. The fraud was connected to the $77 million in federal funds, including the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and Emergency Food Assistance Programs.
DiBiase faced accusations of using money from those funds to buy a truck, a boat, take a trip to Disney, and buy a lakeside home worth $1.5 million.
The defense argued that DiBiase performed his duties and that no witnesses could dispute that with the Clarion Ledger adding, “The defense said DiBiase scheduled trainings, set up business meetings and accepted contracts without pushing back on the terms or offered payment amounts.”
DiBiase, the son of “The Million Dollar Man”, worked for WWE from 2007 until 2013, beginning in Florida Championship Wrestling. He was called up in less than one year to the main roster and attached to Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes in Legacy. DiBiase and Rhodes won the tag titles together on two occasions and had a three-way match with Orton at WrestleMania 26 in 2010.
In 2013, his contract expired, and he left WWE and has not wrestled since 2017.
