FBI charges Daejon Love over alleged impersonation of 49ers receiver in $1.3m romance fraud

The FBI charged Daejon Love on 31 August 2026 after he allegedly posed as a San Francisco 49ers receiver and persuaded more than 20 women to send him a total of $1.3m. His alleged accomplice, Taylor Jamie Chen, has also been charged by federal authorities.

Court filings say Love constructed a false online identity as a 49ers player by posting photos and videos in San Francisco gear, posing with expensive cars and performing football drills poorly to support the ruse. Prosecutors allege he employed artificial intelligence to manipulate search-engine results to bolster claims of football success with the 49ers. The documents include a video showing Love running wide receiver routes on a beach while wearing a helmet.

The FBI alleges Love initiated romantic correspondence with multiple women and then requested funds to be placed into "lucrative investments." Those allegations form part of the federal case that has led to charges against Love and Chen.

A clip obtained by TMZ features Love saying he was looking for "genetically superior women." Prosecutors say Love cultivated the trappings of a Pro Bowl player's lifestyle to lend credibility to his claims, while noting that most NFL players do not make the Pro Bowl.

The article cites The Athletic for a 2011 conference call in which NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said the average career length in the league was around six years. It also references Sports Illustrated reporting the mean NFL salary as $5.2m—an amount the piece says is skewed by stars such as Patrick Mahomes and Joe Burrow who earn more than $50m a year—while noting the rookie minimum is $840,000 and the median salary is much lower. The report adds that agent fees, taxes and short careers can prevent a five- or six-year tenure from guaranteeing a luxurious retirement, and that many former athletes move into businesses such as car dealerships or sales.

Both Love and Taylor Jamie Chen have been charged by federal authorities, and prosecutors are claiming they are a flight risk; the article states, "They certainly seem like they have the money to flee the country."