Federal authorities have charged Daejon Labrayae Love and Taylor Jamie Chan for allegedly defrauding at least 26 women of $1.3 million. The pair reportely used fake NFL credentials and dating apps to target victims across the western United States.
The $1.3 million heist across four Western states
Daejon Labrayae Love and Taylor Jamie Chan are facing criminal complaints for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, according to a federal press release.. The scheme, which began in February 2022, targeted women residing in California, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington.
The FBI has identified at least 26 victims, though investigators believe the actual number of people defrauded may be higher. the suspects were eventually apprehended at the Boise Airport in Idaho on August 24, following a period where Daejon Labrayae Love traveled extensively through New Mexico, Nevada, and Utah.
How a fake jersey number 7 and a fabricated NFL contract fooled victims
Daejon Labrayae Love allegedly convinced victims he was a wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers, specifically claiming to wear jersey number 7. As reported by federal authorities, Love used social media and luxury items to project an image of extreme wealth to the women he met on dating applications.
The deception went beyond simple claims; Love reportedly signed a fake NFL contract in late 2024 and posted Instagram content featuring a 49ers helmet and manipulated Google search results. Both the NFL and the San Francisco 49ers confirmed to investigators that Daejon Labrayae Love had no professional affiliation with their organizations .
The role of 18-year-old Taylor Jamie Chan as a fake financial advisor
To add a layer of legitimacy to the fraud, Taylor Jamie Chan allegedly posed as a professional financial advisor for Daejon Labrayae Love. According to court documents, Chan helped Love convince victims that he possessed a personal fortune worth tens of millions of dollars.
The duo used three-way FaceTime calls and fabricated bank statements to encourage women to transfer funds. Some victims provided personal loans, while others were urged by Daejon Labrayae Love to apply for new personal loans to invest in what they believed were legitimate business ventures, with the promise of quick repayment.
A pattern of aliases from Jon Love to Jordan Love
The use of multiple personas is a hallmark of modern romance scams, where perpetrators create "wealth bubbles" to isolate victims. Daejon Labrayae Love operated under several aliases, including Jon Love, Avril Lyto Love, and Jordan Love, to maintain his various facades as a real estate investor and athlete.
This strategy mirrors a broader trend of high-status impersonation scams, where trust is built over time before a financial "opportunity" is presented. By blending the prestige of the NFL with the perceived stability of real estate investing, Love created a high-status lure that bypassed the typical red flags of online dating.
Who are the victims beyond the 26 identified by the FBI?
A critical unknown in this case is the full scale of the operation, as the FBI believes the number of victims exceeds the 26 already documented. It remains unclear how many other women may have lost money without reporting the crime to federal authorities .
Additionally, the report notes that social media users have questioned how Love's claims remained unchallenged given the public nature of NFL rosters. It is still unknown if Daejon Labrayae Love targeted specific demographics of women who were less likely to verify professional sports rosters or if the presence of Taylor Jamie Chan as a "financial advisor" provided enough perceived validation to stifle skepticism.
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