Man accused of scamming 26 women out of $1.3 million as fake football player in elaborate scheme
A man accused of posing as a wealthy NFL player allegedly used fake investment accounts, fabricated profits and romantic relationships to persuade women to hand over money in a scheme prosecutors say brought in around $13 million.
Daejon Labrayae Love, 35, and Taylor Jamie Chan, 18, were charged in Portland, Oregon, with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud, according to the US Attorney's Office for the District of Oregon.
The FBI has identified 26 victims so far, but believes there could be many more.
Love allegedly met most of the women online through dating apps presenting himself as either an NFL player for the San Francisco 49ers, or a wealthy real estate investor.
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Prosecutors say he used the image of a lavish lifestyle both in person and across social media to make the claims appear credible.
According to court documents, Love and Chan allegedly began creating fictitious investments in February 2022, targeting women across Oregon, Washington, Idaho and California.
Love allegedly told victims they were in a genuine romantic relationships with him, and talked about building a wealthy future together.
He then presented nonexistent investment opportunities, claiming they could produce substantial returns.
Chan allegedly played the role of Love's financial adviser.
The two exchanged investment-related messages, with Chan purportedly encouraging Love to put money into new opportunities.
Love then allegedly showed screenshots of those conversations to victims as evidence that the investments were legitimate.
The pair also allegedly arranged three-way FaceTime calls, during which victims were shown falsified investment gains and encouraged to hand over their money.
Love allegedly used phone applications to create fake bank and investment accounts, complete with fabricated balances, which he displayed to victims.
Some women allegedly sent money directly to Love or Chan, while others loaned Love large sums.
If someone did not have enough cash to invest, prosecutors say Love sometimes instructed them to take out personal loans, promising they would be repaid quickly.
How much money did the alleged investment scheme take?
Financial records cited by investigators show Love and Chan received approximately $1.3 million from the women identified as victim investors.
According to the US Attorney's Office, none of the victims interviewed reported receiving investment proceeds, returns on their principal or information about an investment account after sending money.
The complaint alleges Love would cut off contact with victims once they had no more money to invest or began asking too many questions, while retaining the funds.
Love also allegedly used several names during the scheme, including Jon Love, Daejon Love, Avril Lyto Love and Jordan Love.
The alleged scheme continued until the men's arrests on August 24, 2026.
Arrest warrants and a criminal complaint were issued on August 17. Investigators say Chan flew from California to Boise, Idaho, on August 24 to meet Love, where FBI agents and other law enforcement officers arrested both men at Boise Airport.
Both men are in federal custody in Boise and were scheduled to make their first court appearance on August 27.
The case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bryan Chinwuba and Chris Cardani for the District of Oregon.
Both defendants have denied the charges, and the FBI stressed - 'The criminal complaint is an accusation, and both defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.'
The FBI is asking anyone with information about Love or Chan to contact the agency through its tip line or by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI.
Topics: Crime, NFL, Social Media, True crime
Thomas Bamford