Federal agents arrested a 35-year-old man who allegedly pretended to be a San Francisco 49ers wide receiver to lure women on dating apps and steal more than $1.3 million through fake investments, a scheme that spanned four states and four years.
Daejon Labrayae Love and his alleged accomplice, 18-year-old Taylor Jamie Chan, were taken into custody at Boise Airport in Idaho on August 24 after FBI investigators learned Love had traveled there to target new victims, USA TODAY Sports reported, citing federal court documents. Love faces charges of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. A federal complaint was filed in Portland, Oregon.
The alleged scheme began in February 2022 and stretched across California, Idaho, Washington, and Oregon. At least 26 women, described in court documents as primarily middle-class and in their 20s and 30s, lost money to Love and Chan, federal authorities allege. Love met victims on Tinder, Bumble, Hinge, and Facebook Dating, built what they believed were sincere romantic relationships, then steered them toward handing over cash for nonexistent investment opportunities.
Love went to considerable lengths to sell the lie, court documents show. He posted pictures of himself on social media wearing 49ers gear and the team's helmet. He claimed he signed with the Niners because they "offered me the most money" and because "they in hunt of winning the Super Bowl every season." He told victims he attended all home games, practices, and team meetings and that he had received his signing bonus.
None of it was true. After interviewing representatives from both the San Francisco 49ers and the NFL, investigators confirmed Love had never been employed by either organization.
Love's props extended beyond social media posts. Fox News reported that he spent more than $1,160 on custom football helmets, purchased prop money, and used apps to create fake bank balance screenshots showing figures as high as $11 million. He also appeared in a video, obtained by OutKick, that purported to show him signing an NFL contract. In the clip, Love said, "Niners, you already know, Niner gang."
Court documents obtained by USA TODAY Sports describe Love posting fake screenshots of a bank account balance showing more than $30 million. In at least one instance, Love told a victim that since he began investing with Chan, his net worth had grown from $300,000 to $17 million in just a few years.
The FBI has pursued a range of high-profile enforcement actions in recent months, and this case stands out for the sheer audacity of the deception involved.
Chan's alleged role was to pose as Love's financial advisor, lending an air of legitimacy to the pitch. The Department of Justice stated that "Chan falsely posed as Love's financial adviser to further gain their victims' trust and demonstrate the validity of the investments," the New York Post reported.
Victims sent money to both Love and Chan, believing they were investing in legitimate opportunities. Some loaned Love large sums directly, trusting a man they thought was a professional athlete who could easily repay them. The affidavit laid out the mechanics plainly:
"Victims sent Love and his co-conspirator, Taylor Jamie Chan, money believing they would invest the money in legitimate investments on the victims' behalf. Some victims also loaned Love large amounts of money believing Love would easily pay the money back."
Love also allegedly helped some victims take out personal loans, effectively leveraging their credit to extract even more money. When a victim ran out of money or started asking too many questions, Love cut off contact.
Federal wire fraud cases have become a recurring feature of federal law enforcement dockets. A Massachusetts mayor recently faced similar charges in an unrelated scheme involving COVID relief funds.
Investigators identified four names Love allegedly used: Jon Love, Daejon Love, Avril Lyto Love, and Jordan Love, the last of which happens to be the name of an actual NFL quarterback. The use of multiple aliases allowed Love to maintain separate identities across platforms and states, court documents indicate.
The DOJ described the core of the scheme as romance fraud. Love "had romantic relationships with many of the victims and told them he wanted to build wealth and a future together," the department stated. He pitched himself as financially sophisticated and successful, a man worth trusting with their savings.
Love was still wearing 49ers apparel when federal agents arrested him at the Boise airport, Fox News reported. Chan was taken into custody at the same location.
The brazenness of the arrest recalls other recent cases in which federal agents tracked fraud suspects across state and national borders before making their move.
Court documents do not specify whether any of the 26 identified victims have recovered any of their losses. The specific charges filed against Chan have not been publicly detailed beyond the conspiracy and wire fraud complaint filed in Portland. Love's prior criminal history, if any, has not been disclosed in available filings.
What is clear from the affidavit is the scale and duration of the alleged fraud. Over more than four years, Love allegedly maintained elaborate false identities, fabricated financial records, and exploited the trust of women who believed they had found a romantic partner with a future in professional football.
The FBI's willingness to act decisively in cases like this one sends a necessary signal. But for the women who handed over their savings to a man in a costume, the damage is already done.
When someone can impersonate a professional athlete for four years, across four states, on four major dating platforms, and walk away with more than a million dollars before anyone stops him, the question isn't just whether justice will be served, it's how many people got fooled along the way who should have been protected sooner.
