Inside Daejon Loves fake 49ers NFL life and scams to steal $1.3M from women
Federal prosecutors allege Daejon Love stole $1.3 million from more than two dozen women while pretending to be a 49ers wide receiver.But simply calling it an impersonation almost undersells the operation.Love, 35, allegedly constructed an entire NFL career out of costumes, social media theater, fabricated wealth, staged videos and enough 49ers merchandise to stock a small team store.Over more than four years, investigators allege, he transformed himself online from an ordinary man who had never played in the NFL into a supposed professional athlete with millions in the bank and an investment guru waiting on speed dial.Love and Taylor Jamie Chan, 18, were arrested on Aug.
24 at Boise Airport and charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud.Federal investigators have identified 26 alleged victims across California, Oregon, Washington and Idaho and believe there are more.What prosecutors allege happened behind that headline is far more bizarre.Love didn’t merely wear a 49ers T-shirt, put on a replica helmet and hope nobody checked the roster.
He allegedly created what amounted to his own NFL multimedia department.In one video obtained by OutKick from late 2024, Love appeared to sign what he represented as an NFL contract.Asked who he was signing with, Love responded: “Niners, you already know, Niner gang.”In the video, he says he wears No.7, famously worn by Colin Kaepernick and by current 49ers wide receiver DeMarcus Robinson. According to an FBI affidavit, Love filmed himself supposedly signing an employment contract with the 49ers while claiming he would play wide receiver.
Representatives for both the NFL and the 49ers said he had never worked for either.But the videos and props only became increasingly more elaborate.Investigators reportedly traced more than $1,160 in purchases to Green Gridiron, a seller of custom football helmets.Love trained wearing 49ers gear and a helmet, posted football workouts and allegedly used authentic-looking...