A man accused of posing as a San Francisco 49ers player allegedly used dating apps and misleading online search results to defraud at least 26 women of about $1.3 million.
Daejon Labrayae Love, 35, and Taylor Jamie Chan, 18, have been charged in the United States with wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud, according to federal prosecutors in Oregon.
Investigators allege that Love met women on platforms including Tinder, Bumble, Hinge and Facebook Dating, presenting himself either as a wealthy 49ers player or a successful property investor. He is accused of forming romantic relationships with several of the women before persuading them to provide money for supposed investment opportunities.
Chan allegedly posed as Love’s financial adviser and helped reinforce the deception through messages and video calls. Prosecutors say the pair showed victims fabricated investment gains and claimed their money would be placed in profitable schemes.
Love reportedly built an online persona featuring photographs and videos of himself wearing 49ers clothing, alongside luxury cars and expensive accessories. Investigators also found material apparently taken from genuine NFL players’ social media accounts and presented as his own.
The alleged deception was strengthened when online searches sometimes falsely identified Love as a 49ers player. Court documents say investigators found search engine and artificial intelligence results describing him as a member of the team, despite the fact that he had no connection to the NFL.
Prosecutors allege that Love used applications capable of creating fake bank balances, showing at least one victim an account supposedly containing more than $30 million. Women are said to have transferred money through services including Apple Pay, Zelle and Venmo, while some were allegedly encouraged to take out personal loans.
The FBI arrested both men on 24 August after Chan travelled from California to Idaho to meet Love, who investigators say was there to meet potential victims. They remain in custody in Boise, and authorities believe there may be further victims who have not yet come forward.
