The FBI revealed this Friday that 35 additional women claim they were defrauded by the alleged wire fraud scheme that featured a guy masquerading as a San Francisco 49ers player. Seriously, this thing just keeps getting crazier and the scale of the alleged deception is just mind-blowing.
The Numbers Keep Climbing
This whole mess blew up when Daejon Love and Taylor Chan were arrested on August 24. The U.S. Attorney’s office initially announced 26 known victims had been exploited out of more than $1.3 million across California, Idaho, Washington, and Oregon. Now, FBI special agent Douglas A. Olson says federal investigators have identified those 35 *additional* women. Do the math: that means we’re looking at 61 potential victims in this case. The agency is currently verifying these new claims, but the fact that the numbers are growing like this? It’s a stark reminder of how insidious these schemes can be. Love and Chan are both charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud itself. They got nabbed at the Boise Airport in Idaho, where Love was reportedly set to meet even more new victims. Can you believe the audacity?
The Deception Playbook Was Wild
According to Olson, anyone could have been a victim, and he wasn’t pulling any punches about it. He said, “Victim blaming is unjust, and it’s harmful, and it overlooks the calculated, highly-manipulated lengths these individuals went to in order to deceive and exploit others.” Olson added that “The women didn’t just fall for something obvious; they were deliberately targeted by people who worked very hard to earn that trust and steal their money.” Love allegedly pulled off this scam for four years, starting in February 2022. He reportedly posed as a Niners player or a wealthy real estate investor, using multiple names like Jon Love, Avril Lyto Love, and Jordan Love. He targeted women primarily through dating apps in those four states out west. Prosecutors say Love convinced many victims they were in sincere romantic relationships, that he was a sophisticated investor, and that Chan, who acted as Love’s financial adviser, helped him grow a fortune worth tens of millions. Love allegedly promised massive returns on nonexistent investments, flaunting phony bank and investment accounts and even holding three-way FaceTimes to show off those fake gains. It’s a masterclass in manipulation.
What’s Next for the Alleged Perpetrators
Right now, Love is still in custody in Boise and is expected to appear in federal court in Portland next month. Chan, on the other hand, already appeared in federal court in Portland this month and was released pending trial. With 61 potential victims and millions of dollars on the line, the stakes couldn’t be higher for the upcoming legal proceedings. It’s going to be a long road as the FBI works to verify all these additional victims and bring justice to those who were allegedly defrauded.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply