Man accused of posing as 49ers player arrested in $1M fraud scheme

The Daejon Love saga was one of the most unique stories of the NFL offseason. In August, a man accused of posing as a San Francisco 49ers wide receiver was arrested with an alleged accomplice and charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud.

Daejon Labrayae Love, 35, posed as a star athlete on social media and targeted almost three dozen women before defrauding them out of over a million dollars with fictitious investment schemes. A 49ers source previously told ESPN that the franchise was unaware of Love's antics before the FBI contacted them last month. However, one of the alleged victims reportedly tried to contact the 49ers about Love's activity eight months before his arrest.

One woman, Gwen Herndon, told ESPN that she submitted a complaint on the 49ers' official website centered around Love in Dec. 2025. Herndon wrote, "there is a federal investigation surrounding a man pretending to be a 49ers player," saying he stole money from women, and is "severely damaging the reputation of your team."

"I wanted you to be aware of the situation and hopefully proactive in denouncing his involvement on your team," Herndon wrote.

Herndon then received this response from a Levi's Stadium guest services account on Dec. 27, 2025:

"We take reports of individuals misrepresenting themselves as members of the San Francisco 49ers very seriously. For safety and legal reasons, the team cannot comment on ongoing investigations or specific individuals. However, we appreciate you bringing this to our attention and encouraging proactive measures to protect the integrity of the organization.

"If you have information that could assist law enforcement or legal authorities, we encourage you to contact the appropriate agencies directly. Our internal team will also monitor any instances of impersonation and take action as appropriate to protect fans and the team's reputation. Thank you again for your vigilance and concern for the Niners community."

A 49ers spokesperson declined to comment on Herndon's message or confirm its existence. It's unclear whether a party other than "guest services" reviewed this complaint, but the FBI said at a previous press conference that the 49ers have been "completely cooperative" in its investigation.

Authorities say that Love met most of his victims on dating apps, and would loop in his coconspirator, Taylor Jamie Chan, 18, who would help convince the women to give them money for investment opportunities. Love would attempt to flaunt wealth on social media, posting pictures of himself in 49ers gear in front of exotic cars.

"The scheme relied on Love's creation of fictitious personas and display of a lavish lifestyle which Love presented to victims both in person and on social media websites," the U.S. Attorney's Office said in a statement. "Love convinced many of the victims they were in sincere romantic relationships with Love, that he was a sophisticated investor, and that Chan was his investment adviser who helped Love grow a fortune worth tens of millions of dollars."

In March 2025, Herndon sued Love in small-claims court, alleging she gave Love $10,000 for an investment. When she started asking questions, Love blocked her.