Who Is Daejon Love? Fake San Francisco 49ers Player $1.3 Million Scam Explained

Daejon Labrayae Love is a 35-year-old man accused by federal prosecutors of posing as a San Francisco 49ers player and wealthy investor while carrying out a yearslong romance-and-investment fraud scheme that allegedly took approximately $1.3 million from at least 26 women. Prosecutors say Love met many of the women through dating apps, convinced some they were in serious romantic relationships with him and then promoted fictitious investments supposedly managed by an associate, 18-year-old Taylor Jamie Chan. The FBI arrested Love and Chan at Boise Airport on August 24, 2026. Both have been charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud.

The Alleged Fake 49ers Persona

Prosecutors Say Love Falsely Presented Himself As A San Francisco 49ers Player. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon, Love created fictitious personas and portrayed himself as legitimately wealthy, sometimes claiming to be an NFL player for the 49ers and at other times presenting himself as a successful real-estate investor. [DOJ]

Love Specifically Presented Himself As A 49ers Wide Receiver. Reporting on the federal complaint says he claimed he had gone undrafted before eventually earning a place with San Francisco. [LA Times]

The 49ers And NFL Said Love Was Never Their Employee. Investigators cited by OutKick said representatives for the team and league confirmed that Love had never been employed by either organization. [Fox/OutKick]

Social Media Helped Sell The Fake NFL Story

Love Allegedly Filled His Social-Media Accounts With 49ers Imagery. Federal prosecutors released images showing him wearing team apparel, posing with a 49ers helmet and presenting himself online as though he belonged to the organization. [DOJ]

He Also Displayed Luxury Cars And Other Signs Of Wealth. Prosecutors say the lavish lifestyle was intended to convince prospective victims that Love was both a professional athlete and a financially sophisticated investor. [DOJ]

One Video Showed Love Driving What He Called His New McLaren. While discussing his supposed NFL career, Love allegedly told viewers that he had chosen San Francisco because he already lived in the Bay Area and displayed a crooked finger as an explanation for why he was not playing. [LA Times]

“That’s Google, Not Me”

Love Allegedly Used Google Search Results To Reinforce The Fake Persona. The Los Angeles Times reported that one of his social-media posts displayed a Google AI Overview describing “Daejon Love” as a 49ers wide receiver. [LA Times]

Love Then Pointed To The Search Result As Supposed Independent Confirmation. In the video he reportedly said, “That’s Google. That’s not me, that’s Google,” apparently using the generated search result to make his NFL claim appear independently verified. [LA Times]

The Episode Demonstrates How Search And AI-Generated Information Can Reinforce A False Persona. There is no evidence Love actually played for the 49ers, yet a search result reflecting online material about him could be shown back to potential victims as apparent proof that the claim was true.

Video Appeared To Show Love Signing A 49ers Contract

OutKick Obtained A 2024 Video In Which Love Appeared To Sign What He Claimed Was An NFL Contract. When a cameraman asked which team he was signing with, Love replied that it was the “Niners.” [Fox/OutKick]

OutKick Did Not Publish A Story About The Supposed Signing At The Time. The outlet said it could not independently verify Love’s claim that he had joined an NFL roster and had no evidence then that he was taking money from women. [Fox/OutKick]

Federal Investigators Now Allege The NFL Persona Was Part Of A Larger Fraud. The government says the appearance of professional success helped establish credibility before victims were asked for money.

Dating Apps Were Used To Find Victims

Love Allegedly Met Most Of The Women Online. Prosecutors say he used dating applications to contact women in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and California. [DOJ]

He Allegedly Developed Romantic Relationships With Many Of Them. The complaint says Love convinced women that the relationships were sincere and that he wanted to build a financial future together. [DOJ]

That Romantic Trust Was Then Used To Introduce Investment Opportunities. Prosecutors allege Love represented himself as a sophisticated investor and encouraged the women to put money into supposedly lucrative ventures.

Taylor Jamie Chan Allegedly Played The Financial Adviser

Federal Authorities Say Chan Helped Make The Investments Look Legitimate. Taylor Jamie Chan, 18, allegedly posed as Love’s financial adviser and wealth manager. [DOJ]

Love Allegedly Told Victims That Chan Had Helped Him Build A Fortune Worth Tens Of Millions Of Dollars. That gave the supposed investment adviser credibility and allowed victims to believe they were receiving access to the same strategies that had supposedly made Love wealthy. [DOJ]

Chan Allegedly Sent Messages Pretending To Offer Love New Investment Opportunities. Love would then forward screenshots of those conversations to victims as additional evidence that the investments were real. [DOJ]

Fake Banking And Investment Apps

Prosecutors Say Love Used Phone Applications To Create Fictitious Account Balances. The apps allegedly made it appear that he possessed large bank and investment accounts. [DOJ]

One Display Purportedly Showed More Than $5 Million In Cash And $15 Million In Investments. Images released by federal authorities showed the sort of financial information allegedly used to convince victims that Love was genuinely wealthy. [CBS]

The Government Says Those Accounts And Balances Were Fictitious. Their purpose was allegedly to provide visual proof supporting Love’s claimed investment success.

Three-Way FaceTime Calls Reinforced The Scheme

Love And Chan Allegedly Held Joint Video Calls With Victims. Prosecutors say the pair participated in three-way FaceTime calls in which Chan acted as the financial adviser. [DOJ]

The Calls Allegedly Included Displays Of Fake Investment Profits. The government says victims were shown falsified gains and encouraged to contribute additional money. [CBS]

The Two-Person Setup Made The Scam Appear More Professional. Instead of asking victims to rely only on Love’s claims, prosecutors allege Chan provided the appearance of an independent financial professional confirming them.

Women Were Allegedly Encouraged To Take Out Loans

Love Allegedly Continued Soliciting Money Even When Victims Had Exhausted Their Savings. The federal complaint says that if women did not have enough cash available to invest, Love sometimes instructed them to obtain personal loans. [DOJ]

He Allegedly Promised The Borrowed Money Would Quickly Be Repaid. Victims were told that investment returns or other funds would allow them to repay the debt promptly. [LA Times]

That Could Leave Victims With Losses Beyond The Money Directly Sent To Love And Chan. A person who borrowed money to participate could potentially remain liable to banks or lenders even after discovering that the purported investment did not exist.

Prosecutors Say Victims Received No Returns

Federal Investigators Interviewed Identified Victims About What Happened To Their Money. According to the Justice Department, none reported receiving investment proceeds, the return of their principal or legitimate investment-account information after transferring money to Love and Chan. [DOJ]

Love Allegedly Cut Off Women Who Stopped Sending Money. Prosecutors say he blocked communication once a victim had no more funds to invest or began asking too many questions. [DOJ]

Financial Records Show Approximately $1.3 Million Was Received From Victims. Federal investigators have so far identified 26 alleged victims. [DOJ]

The FBI Believes There May Be More Victims

Investigators Say The Known 26 Women May Represent Only Part Of The Scheme. The FBI publicly stated that it believes there are “many more” victims who have not yet been identified. [DOJ]

Authorities Are Asking Anyone With Information About Love Or Chan To Contact The FBI. The Justice Department has published an appeal for additional witnesses and potential victims. [DOJ]

Love Allegedly Used Multiple Names

Federal Investigators Say Love Used Several Aliases. The Justice Department listed Jon Love, Daejon Love, Avril Lyto Love and Jordan Love among names allegedly used in connection with the scheme. [DOJ]

The Jordan Love Alias Could Create Additional Confusion Because A Real NFL Player Has That Name. Jordan Love is an established professional quarterback, but prosecutors do not allege any connection between the real football player and Daejon Love’s purported use of the name.

The Scheme Allegedly Lasted More Than Four Years

Prosecutors Say The Fraud Began In February 2022. The alleged conduct continued through August 24, 2026, the day the defendants were arrested. [DOJ]

Victims Were Located Across At Least Four States. The complaint identifies women in California, Oregon, Washington and Idaho. [DOJ]

Love Was Also Traveling Extensively Shortly Before His Arrest. Investigators say that between July 15 and August 24 he traveled through New Mexico, California, Oregon, Nevada, Utah and Idaho. [DOJ]

Love And Chan Are Arrested At Boise Airport

Federal Arrest Warrants Were Issued On August 17, 2026. A criminal complaint in the District of Oregon charged both men with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud. [DOJ]

The FBI Arrested Them On August 24. Chan had flown from California to Boise, Idaho, to meet Love when law-enforcement officers apprehended both men at Boise Airport. [DOJ]

Investigators Say Love Was In Idaho To Meet New Victims. That allegation suggests the purported scheme was still active when the arrests occurred. [DOJ]

Federal Fraud Charges

Love And Chan Are Charged With Conspiracy To Commit Wire Fraud And Wire Fraud. The case was filed in federal court in Portland, Oregon. [DOJ]

The FBI Is Investigating The Case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bryan Chinwuba and Chris Cardani are prosecuting it for the District of Oregon. [DOJ]

The Charges Are Allegations Rather Than Convictions. A criminal complaint represents the government’s accusations, and Love and Chan are legally presumed innocent unless and until guilt is proven in court.

The San Francisco 49ers Were Not Accused Of Involvement

The 49ers Are Not Defendants In The Alleged Scheme. Federal authorities say Love falsely used the team’s identity to create credibility.

There Is No Allegation That The Team Employed Love Or Authorized His Use Of Its Name. Investigators say he never played for the organization. [Fox/OutKick]

The Team’s Brand Was Allegedly A Tool Of The Fraud. The perceived wealth, status and public recognition associated with an NFL career helped support Love’s supposed investment expertise and financial success.

Why The Fake NFL Identity Was Effective

Professional Athletes Are Commonly Associated With High Salaries. Claiming to play in the NFL could help explain expensive cars, travel and investment accounts without requiring victims to independently verify where the money came from.

It Also Provided Social Status. A victim who believed she was dating a professional football player might be less suspicious of unusual travel schedules, expensive purchases or large financial transactions.

Social Media Made The Story Easier To Reinforce. Team clothing, stadium imagery, luxury vehicles, fake contracts and misleading search results could all be assembled into an apparently convincing online history.

The Case Combines Romance Fraud And Investment Fraud

Authorities Describe A Scheme That Used Romantic Relationships To Create Financial Trust. Love allegedly did not merely approach women as strangers offering investments; prosecutors say he cultivated intimate relationships first.

The Supposed Investments Then Became Part Of A Shared Future. Victims were allegedly told that Love wanted them to build wealth together, giving requests for money an emotional as well as financial dimension. [DOJ]

That Pattern Resembles What Law Enforcement Commonly Calls A Romance Scam. The alleged fraud differs from a conventional investment solicitation because personal affection and trust were allegedly used to reduce skepticism.