At least 35 women in the US reported fraud by man posing as a 49ers player — The Guardian
In the United States, at least 35 women have additionally filed complaints about the alleged fraud of Daejon Love, whom federal authorities accuse of posing as a San Francisco 49ers player and a wealthy investor. According to The Guardian, the FBI had previously reported more than two dozen women who investigators believe were defrauded of a total of $1.3 million.
Arrest and charges
Love, 35, and Taylor Chan, 18, were arrested in August. They were charged with wire fraud. According to federal law enforcement officials, Chan appears in the case as Love's alleged accomplice and as a person who posed as his financial adviser.
Investigators claim that Love used fake identities created with artificial intelligence, forged investment accounts, and staged video calls involving Chan. In this way, he allegedly gained the trust of women in California, Idaho, Washington state, and Oregon.
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Dating and investments
According to law enforcement, Love met women through dating apps and persuaded those who considered themselves his partners to transfer him money purportedly for high-return investments. To some women, he presented himself as a former NFL player; to others, he said he was on the reserve list or recovering from an injury.
Prosecutors believe the scheme operated from around February 2022 until the suspects' arrest in August. Court documents described Love as a person who led a nomadic lifestyle, had no known legitimate source of income, and about whose family ties little is known.
Douglas Olson, an FBI special agent in Portland, urged people not to blame the victims. According to him, the women were encouraged to take out personal loans and make financial decisions in anticipation of a future with someone they trusted. Olson also asked other possible victims to contact law enforcement.
