Man Posed as a 49ers Player to Romance and Defraud 26 Women Out of $1.3 Million, Feds Say
Federal authorities arrested a 35-year-old man they say spent more than four years pretending to be a San Francisco 49ers player, romancing women on dating apps and bilking them out of roughly $1.3 million through fake investment schemes.
The FBI took Daejon Labrayae Love into custody on August 24, 2026, in Boise, Idaho, along with his alleged accomplice, 18-year-old Taylor Jamie Chan. Both were charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud — federal charges that carry serious prison exposure — by the US attorney's office in the District of Oregon, according to The Guardian. A criminal complaint was filed in Portland, Oregon, per the US Department of Justice. The pair remained in federal custody in Boise following the arrest.
The scheme began in February 2022 and ran all the way until the arrests last week. Love created fictitious personas on dating apps, presenting himself as a 49ers player. He backed up the story on social media, posting photos of himself in official team gear and posing with luxury vehicles. None of it was real.
Prosecutors say Love told the women he was a sophisticated investor managing a fortune worth tens of millions. Chan was introduced as Love's investment adviser. Together, they pitched nonexistent investment vehicles that they claimed would generate massive returns. Not one of the victims interviewed said she received any return on her money or repayment on loans made to Love and Chan.
The scope was wide. Twenty-six victims across California, Idaho, Washington, and Oregon have been identified. The FBI believes many more are out there.
What makes this case especially insidious is how the fraud was built on trust, not just deception. Love cultivated sincere romantic relationships with many of the women, telling them he wanted to build wealth and a future together. When a victim ran out of money to "invest" or started asking too many questions, prosecutors say Love simply cut off all communication and moved on. It was a romance scam — a con in which a predator feigns emotional intimacy to extract money — layered on top of a fake investment pitch, with an NFL identity as the bait.
The 49ers organization had no connection to Love. He was never on the roster. The team's red and gold simply gave the con an air of credibility — a recognizable name that made the whole fiction easier to swallow.
Both suspects remain in custody. The case is being prosecuted by the US attorney's office for the District of Oregon, which handles federal criminal matters across the state. The FBI has asked anyone who believes they may have been targeted to come forward, given the belief that the 26 known victims are only a fraction of the total.
