Scope of the alleged scheme and growing victim tally
The FBI said investigators have identified 35 additional potential victims in the fraud case tied to Daejon Love, bringing the total number of potential victims to 61.
Daejon Love and Taylor Chan have been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud. The pair were arrested on Aug. 24 and were apprehended at the Boise Airport in Idaho, where Love was allegedly set to meet new victims, prosecutors said.
How prosecutors say the scheme operated
Prosecutors allege Love cultivated relationships with women he met on dating platforms such as Facebook Dating, Bumble and Tinder, and used an elaborate web of false identities and digital tools to convince them to send money.
Investigators say Love used social media photos of himself in San Francisco 49ers gear as part of the deception, and that those images helped persuade some targets he was affiliated with the team. Sfgate reported investigators also noted search engines and artificial-intelligence tools occasionally returned results suggesting Love was a bona fide 49ers player, a development investigators characterized as misleading.
Victims were told their funds would be invested or used for business ventures. Prosecutors say the defendants at times held three-way FaceTime calls to display falsified investment gains and to create the impression that accounts were growing. Love is also accused of attempting to bolster fake identities with AI-enhanced images, and of steering some victims toward taking out personal loans to fund the investments.
Women who gave money to Love did so through common payment platforms such as Apple Pay, Zelle and Venmo. Prosecutors say victims sent money intending that it be used for investments, and that when some grew suspicious or asked for their money back, Love would cut off contact.
Tech, money movement and alleged spending
Investigators described a mix of digital deception and real-world spending. Sfgate reported that the defendants allegedly used an application called Fake Bank Account Pro to manufacture phony mobile-account balances in at least one instance. That claim remains reported as unconfirmed by investigators and was described in reporting as an allegation rather than established fact.
Prosecutors say cash obtained from the alleged victims financed a lifestyle of hotel stays and shopping sprees at high-end retailers. When victims sought refunds or began asking questions, prosecutors allege Love would cut off communication and disappear.
Investigation, arrests and unanswered questions
Federal agents apprehended Love and Taylor Chan at the Boise Airport in Idaho as Love was allegedly set to meet new victims, prosecutors said.
The complaint notes that 49ers representatives were contacted by law enforcement and confirmed Love had no connection to the team or the NFL. Prosecutors say they continue to pursue potential additional victims and sources of the funds.
Sfgate reported the FBI cautioned there could be still more victims beyond the newly identified 35, and prosecutors told investigators they believe additional people may have been defrauded but have not yet come forward. Those possibilities remain subject to verification as the investigation continues.
Investigators say the case highlights how dating apps, social-media imagery and emerging AI tools can be combined to facilitate complex frauds.
