Man Accused of Posing as San Francisco 49ers Player in $1.3 Million Investment Fraud Scheme
A man allegedly pretended to be a San Francisco 49ers player and a wealthy real estate investor to defraud women across several states, according to the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.
Beginning in February 2022, Daejon Labrayae Love, 35, and Taylor Jamie Chan, 18, allegedly created fictitious investment opportunities to defraud women in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and California, court documents state.
Authorities said both men were arrested after Chan flew from California on Monday to meet Love in Boise, Idaho. They were charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud.
Dating Apps Used to Target Victims
According to authorities, Love met most of the women through dating apps. He allegedly used social media to portray a lavish lifestyle, falsely claiming to be a 49ers player or a wealthy real estate investor.
The attorney’s office said Love convinced the victims that they were in genuine romantic relationships with him. He also allegedly presented himself as a sophisticated investor and claimed Chan was his “investment adviser,” who helped him build a fortune worth tens of millions of dollars.
Love told the women he wanted to build wealth and a future with them, authorities said. Officials added that he promoted nonexistent investment vehicles and claimed they would generate substantial returns for both himself and the victims.
Court documents state that Love used phone applications to create fictitious bank and investment accounts, along with false balances, to show the victims and make the scheme appear legitimate.
Fictitious Investment Gains Allegedly Shown in Video Calls
Authorities said Love and Chan exchanged electronic communications in which Chan posed as Love’s investment adviser and sent messages encouraging Love to invest in new opportunities. Love allegedly forwarded screenshots of those messages to victims to persuade them to send money to one or both men.
The attorney’s office said the pair held video calls with victims to display falsified investment gains and encourage them to hand over additional money. If victims lacked funds, Love sometimes instructed them to take out loans, authorities said. When victims had no more money to invest or began asking too many questions, Love allegedly blocked them, ended communication and kept the money.
Financial records indicate that the pair received approximately $1.3 million from victim investors, according to authorities. Officials have identified 26 victims, but the FBI believes there may be additional victims.
Anyone with information about Love or Chan is encouraged to submit a tip through the FBI tip website or call 1-800-CALL-FBI.
