Two Georgia men built an elaborate fraud scheme around one extraordinary deception, they pretended to be professional football players to convince lenders to hand over millions of dollars.
Luther Davis and CJ Evins allegedly created fake companies, fabricated financial documents and identities, and even changed their appearance with wigs and makeup when lenders required borrowers to appear on camera.
According to the US Department of Justice, the pair ultimately obtained 12 fraudulent loans, including one that was refinanced, worth a combined $19.845 million.
The scheme operated between at least May 2023 and October 2024 and centred on professional athletes whose identities and reputations could make them appear financially attractive to lenders.
Davis and Evins claimed to represent the athletes and used their identities to obtain loans, while ultimately channelling the money into accounts they controlled.
The case came to light after a union representing professional athletes discovered that player contracts used as collateral were fraudulent.
According to the US Department of Justice, Davis and Evins did more than simply claim to be connected to professional athletes.
They established fictitious companies using names closely associated with the athletes they were impersonating, opened bank accounts for those companies and created fraudulent email accounts to make the businesses appear legitimate.
They also supplied lenders with fabricated personal financial statements.
The pair went further by obtaining fake driving licences and identification cards in the names of the athletes.
The documents were intended to reinforce the impression that the men were either representing the players or were the players themselves.
This allowed them to approach lenders for increasingly valuable loans while presenting an apparently credible financial picture.
The deception relied on the reputation and earning power associated with professional athletes.
Rather than applying for loans under their own identities, Davis and Evins allegedly used the names and credentials of unsuspecting players as the foundation of their applications.
The most unusual part of the scheme emerged when lenders began demanding stronger verification for larger loans.
According to the Justice Department, lenders required borrowers whom they believed to be professional football players to appear on camera during loan closings.
That created a problem for the impersonators, and they responded with disguises.
During the video loan closings, Davis and Evins allegedly posed as several professional athletes, wearing wigs and makeup to make themselves resemble the people whose identities they had stolen.
They also signed loan documents using the athletes' names.
Once the lenders were satisfied that the supposed borrowers had appeared and completed the paperwork, the loan proceeds were deposited into bank accounts controlled by the defendants.
US Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg described the operation as involving fake documents, bogus corporations, wigs and makeup, saying the defendants used those tools to convince lenders they were NFL players.
The scheme generated a substantial amount of borrowed money.
The Justice Department said the defendants obtained a dozen fraudulent loans, with one loan later refinanced, bringing the total value to $19,845,000.
The money was not simply used to maintain the appearance of the businesses.
According to prosecutors, loan proceeds were used to pay off earlier loan balances and support the defendants' lifestyles.
Their spending included real estate transactions, jewellery and watches.
Using new loans to pay existing balances also helped sustain the operation as the defendants pursued larger amounts.
The appearance of legitimate professional-athlete borrowers gave lenders a reason to continue extending credit, while the money itself was directed into accounts under the defendants' control.
The scheme eventually began to unravel when a union representing professional athletes learned that player contracts being used as collateral for the loans were fraudulent.
That discovery helped expose the identities being misused and the false documentation supporting the loans.
The case illustrates how identity theft can extend beyond stolen passwords, bank details or credit cards.
Here, the defendants allegedly assembled entire fictional financial identities around real people, combining fake businesses, identification documents, contracts, emails and appearances to persuade lenders that they were dealing with legitimate professional athletes.
On April 27, 2026, Davis and Evins pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
Davis, 37, is from Roswell, Georgia, while Evins, 29, is from Johns Creek, Georgia.
The FBI investigated the case, with Assistant US Attorney C. Brock Brockington prosecuting it.
The case stands out not only for the nearly $20 million in fraudulent loans, but for the lengths the defendants allegedly went to make their identities believable.
What began with fake companies and fabricated documents ultimately reached the point where wigs, makeup and on-camera performances were used to make two men appear to be professional football players.
