He Pretended to Be a 49ers Player to Find Women on Dating Apps. Then Came the $1.3 Million Scam

A man accused of pretending to be a San Francisco 49ers player on dating apps allegedly spent years building a fake life online—and federal prosecutors say the deception ultimately helped him take more than $1.3 million from 26 women.

The case involving Daejon Labrayae Love, 35, has taken another turn as newly released court documents reveal just how elaborate the alleged scheme was, including fake investment accounts, a supposed financial adviser, luxury lifestyle posts and a digital footprint that allegedly helped make his false identity appear legitimate.

Love and Taylor Jamie Chan, 18, were arrested Aug. 24 at the Boise Airport in Idaho. Both have been charged in federal court with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud.

Importantly, the charges are allegations. A criminal complaint is not a conviction, and both defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.

The Alleged 49ers Player Wasn’t Actually a 49ers Player

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Love allegedly created fictitious identities and used them to build relationships with women before introducing them to supposed investment opportunities.

One of his most prominent alleged identities was that of a San Francisco 49ers player.

Love allegedly reinforced the identity through social media, including photos and videos featuring football gear, luxury vehicles and other imagery intended to make the supposed NFL career appear legitimate.

But investigators say Love had never played for the 49ers—or for the NFL.

That false identity nevertheless allegedly became an important part of the story he told women he met online.

He Allegedly Met Women Through Dating Apps

The alleged scheme was not simply about pretending to be a professional football player.

According to federal prosecutors, Love used dating apps and social media to meet women and establish romantic relationships.

Once trust had been established, prosecutors allege that conversations shifted toward money and investments.

Love allegedly presented himself as financially successful and encouraged women to invest in opportunities that did not actually exist.

Chan allegedly helped reinforce the story by posing as Love’s financial adviser.

According to investigators, the pair used fake investment accounts, fabricated balances and other materials to make the investments appear legitimate.

The alleged pattern is similar to other romance-investment scams, in which a person first establishes an emotional connection before introducing a financial opportunity.

For another disturbing example of how relationships formed online can become part of an alleged financial scheme, read He Thought He’d Found Love Online. Instead, Authorities Allege She Targeted Older Men.

At Least 26 Women Were Allegedly Victimized

Federal investigators have identified 26 women who allegedly lost money in the scheme across California, Oregon, Washington and Idaho.

Financial records reviewed by investigators reportedly show that Love and Chan received approximately $1.3 million from alleged victim investors.

Investigators say some women sent money directly to Love or Chan after being persuaded that they were making legitimate investments.

Some victims were allegedly encouraged to take out personal loans after they ran out of money to invest.

According to federal authorities, the women did not receive the investment returns they had been promised.

Authorities believe there could be additional victims who have not yet come forward.

The Fake Wealth Was Part of the Pitch

The alleged scheme depended heavily on appearances.

Love allegedly presented himself as wealthy, successful and connected to professional football.

According to prosecutors, he used social-media posts, luxury vehicles, football imagery and fabricated financial information to reinforce that image.

He allegedly showed women screenshots and other information that purported to demonstrate substantial wealth and investment success.

The federal complaint alleges that Love and Chan used fabricated investment information to make it appear as though victims’ money was growing.

In some cases, victims allegedly saw supposed investment gains even though investigators say the accounts were not legitimate investment accounts.

When victims allegedly ran out of money or began asking questions, Love would cut off communication.

The Google and AI Twist Makes the Case Even Stranger

One of the most unusual aspects of the case involves the digital footprint surrounding Love’s alleged fake identity.

Love allegedly created and promoted online information supporting his fictitious personas. That information could then be discovered by people searching for him online.

That creates an important lesson about online verification.

A Google search result—or an answer generated by an AI-powered search tool—is not automatically proof that the information being displayed is true.

If false information is repeatedly posted online, indexed and repeated by other websites or accounts, someone searching for that information can encounter what looks like independent confirmation even when the original information came from the person creating the deception.

In this case, reporting on the federal investigation indicates that Love’s fabricated online persona was extensive enough to create search results that could appear to support his claims.

The alleged deception therefore wasn’t limited to a dating profile. It became part of a much larger online identity.

That is one reason the case is particularly relevant in an era when people increasingly use search engines and AI tools to verify what they see online.

A Woman Connected to the Case Has Now Deactivated Her Account

The allegations have also sparked significant attention on social media following the arrests.

Juliana Caro, a social-media influencer, has been identified in online reporting as a possible alleged victim or target of Love’s scheme.

Reports say Caro deactivated her X account after old posts and images involving Love began circulating online.

Some images reportedly showed Caro with Love while he was wearing 49ers gear, prompting online speculation about their relationship.

However, being photographed with Love does not establish that Caro lost money or knowingly participated in the alleged scheme.

For that reason, Caro should not be described as a confirmed victim unless that is established by investigators or by Caro herself.

The FBI investigation remains ongoing, and authorities have indicated that additional victims may exist.

Love Was Allegedly Still Looking for Victims When He Was Arrested

The timing of the arrests adds another disturbing element to the case.

According to federal authorities, investigators learned that Love was in Idaho to meet new victims.

Chan reportedly flew from California to Boise to meet Love, and law enforcement arrested both at the Boise Airport on Aug. 24.

Investigators say Love had traveled through multiple states during the weeks leading up to his arrest, including New Mexico, California, Oregon, Nevada, Utah and Idaho.

Federal prosecutors allege that the scheme continued until the defendants were arrested.

The investigation is continuing as authorities work to determine whether other women were targeted.

Why This Was More Than a Dating Scam

The case is a reminder that romance scams do not always begin with an obvious request for money.

Sometimes the financial pitch comes only after emotional trust has been established.

In the Love case, prosecutors allege that romance, wealth and investment opportunities were all woven together.

The supposed relationship allegedly helped establish trust.

The fake NFL identity allegedly helped establish credibility.

The fabricated investment accounts allegedly created the appearance of financial success.

And the money allegedly followed.

What Dating-App Users Can Learn From the Case

You don’t have to assume everyone you meet online is a scammer. But you should be especially cautious when a new romantic interest combines fast emotional intimacy with financial opportunities.

• They claim to be a professional athlete, celebrity or wealthy investor.
• They cannot be independently verified through reliable sources.
• They quickly begin discussing money or building a financial future together.
• They introduce you to a supposed financial adviser.
• They show screenshots of huge bank balances or investment returns.
• They encourage you to borrow money to invest.
• They promise unusually high or guaranteed returns.
• They become defensive when you ask basic financial questions.
• They use social-media posts, screenshots or search-engine results as their primary proof of identity.

That last warning may be especially important now.

Someone looking legitimate online is not the same thing as someone being legitimate.

How to Verify Someone You Meet Online

If someone claims to be an NFL player, business owner, investor or other public figure, don’t rely on the information they send you.

Look for independent sources that existed before you met them.

For professional athletes, check official team and league records. For business owners and financial professionals, look for independently verifiable professional records and licensing information.

And if the person is asking you for money, treat that as a separate question from whether their identity is real.

Someone can be exactly who they claim to be and still be offering you a terrible investment.

If you receive suspicious texts, messages or requests for money, it’s also worth remembering that scams can look remarkably convincing. We’ve previously covered how to tell when a seemingly legitimate text message may actually be a scam.

Sources

• U.S. Department of Justice — Federal charges, alleged victims and the $1.3 million investigation.
• Yahoo Sports — Reporting on Love’s alleged NFL persona and social-media activity.
• Reuters — Reporting on the alleged scheme and the 26 women identified by investigators.
• ABC7 — Reporting on the arrests and allegations.
• Yahoo News — Reporting on Juliana Caro and developments surrounding the alleged victims.

Updated August 31, 2026. Charges described in this article are allegations. Love and Chan are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court. The FBI says additional victims may exist.

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