Federal prosecutors say a man posed as a San Francisco 49ers player and wealthy investor to scam 26 women out of roughly $1.3 million through a fake romance and investment scheme that ran for more than four years before his arrest this week.
What are Love and Chan accused of?
Daejon Labrayae Love, 35, and Taylor Jamie Chan, 18, face federal charges of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud in a complaint filed in Portland, Oregon. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon, the two allegedly ran the scheme from February 2022 until their arrest on August 24, targeting women in California, Oregon, Idaho and Washington. Love and Chan were taken into custody at the Boise Airport in Idaho, where prosecutors say Love had traveled to meet additional potential victims. Investigators believe the real number of victims may be higher than the 26 currently identified.
How did the alleged scam work?
Prosecutors say Love met women through online dating apps and built romantic relationships with many of them, telling them he wanted to build a future and wealth together. He allegedly presented himself as a wealthy NFL player or real estate investor, backing up the claim with a social media presence full of photos showing him in 49ers gear, luxury cars and gym workouts. Chan allegedly posed as Love’s financial adviser to make the investment pitch look legitimate, and one report states Chan even joined video calls with some victims to show off fabricated earnings.
Love is accused of using phone apps to fake bank and investment account balances, then forwarding those screenshots to convince women their money was growing. When victims ran short on cash, prosecutors say Love encouraged some to take out personal loans instead. Authorities say none of the 26 identified victims ever received a return, a refund or documentation that an actual investment account existed, and that Love cut off contact once a victim started asking questions or ran out of money to send.
What happens next in the case?
Love and Chan are due in court in Idaho, and prosecutors say Love has gone by other names, including Jon Love, Avril Lyto Love and Jordan Love. Both men are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. One report also states the pair amassed a personal fortune worth tens of millions of dollars from the scheme, a figure that stands out against the roughly $1.3 million in victim losses cited elsewhere and has not been corroborated across all reporting on the case. Anyone with information about either defendant is asked to contact the FBI.
The case adds to a growing list of romance and investment scams built around fabricated wealth and borrowed athlete credibility, and investigators are continuing to look for additional victims as the prosecution moves forward.
