Federal Prosecutors Say Daejon Love Posed as a 49ers Player and Used Fake Investments to Defraud 26 Women Across Four States
For years, Daejon Love allegedly had all the signs of an NFL star.
The 35-year-old appeared online wearing San Francisco 49ers gear, surrounded himself with luxury cars and presented bank and investment accounts showing millions of dollars. He told women he was a professional football player, a successful investor and a man capable of building a wealthy future with them.
Federal prosecutors say none of it was real.
Love and 18-year-old Taylor Jamie Chan are now facing federal charges after authorities accused them of running a years long romance and investment scheme that took roughly $1.3 million from at least 26 women in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and California. The FBI believes there could be additional victims.
Federal agents arrested Love and Chan at the Boise Airport in Idaho on Aug. 24. Investigators said Love was not simply passing through the state when authorities caught up with him. He was allegedly there to meet new potential victims.
How the Fake 49ers Persona Allegedly Worked
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon, the scheme began around February 2022.
Love allegedly met many of the women through dating apps before developing romantic relationships with them. He presented himself as wealthy, sometimes claiming to play for the San Francisco 49ers and other times portraying himself as a successful real estate investor.
Prosecutors say Love posted photos and other content showing himself in 49ers gear and living what appeared to be an expensive lifestyle. He also allegedly used phone applications to display fabricated bank and investment accounts with balances suggesting he controlled tens of millions of dollars.
Chan allegedly played another key role by posing as Love’s financial adviser.
Authorities say Chan exchanged investment-related messages with Love that were later shown to victims as evidence of supposedly legitimate financial opportunities. The two also allegedly participated in three-way FaceTime calls where women were shown fabricated investment gains and encouraged to send money.
Love allegedly told women the investments could generate substantial returns and help them build a future together.
When some women did not have enough money to invest, prosecutors say Love encouraged them to obtain personal loans and promised they would quickly be repaid.
Investigators say that repayment never came.
None of the identified victims interviewed by investigators reported receiving investment proceeds, returns on their principal or information showing legitimate investment accounts had been opened on their behalf, according to federal authorities.
Once a woman ran out of money or began asking too many questions, Love allegedly cut off communication while keeping the funds.
Google AI Results Added Another Layer of Credibility
One of the more unusual elements of the alleged scheme came from a source Love did not appear to control: Google.
The Los Angeles Times reported that an AI Overview displayed during an online search falsely identified Love as a wide receiver for the 49ers. Love showed the result in a video as proof of his supposed career.
“That’s Google. That’s not me, that’s Google,” Love said.
There is no evidence cited by prosecutors that Love caused Google to generate the false information.
But the result illustrates a growing problem with online identity. A fabricated claim repeated across enough websites and social media accounts can begin appearing authoritative, particularly when an automated system repeats the misinformation back to users.
For someone already presenting photographs, luxury vehicles, apparent financial statements and a professional sports identity, the search result offered another layer of apparent legitimacy.
FBI Says There May Be More Victims
Federal investigators say Love used several names during the alleged scheme, including Jon Love, Daejon Love, Avril Lyto Love and Jordan Love.
Authorities also traced extensive travel shortly before his arrest. Between July 15 and Aug. 24, investigators say Love traveled through New Mexico, California, Oregon, Nevada, Utah and Idaho.
Love and Chan have been charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud.
The allegations remain accusations. Both defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
The FBI is asking anyone who believes they may have information about Love, Chan or the alleged scheme to contact federal investigators.
