Court docs: Fake 49er used Google AI blurb in $1.3M romance scam
Prosecutors say Daejon Love posed online as a 49ers receiver and used an AI search blurb to sell the lie. Victims include Californians.
Court docs: Fake 49er used Google AI blurb in $1.3M romance scam
Key Takeaways
- Prosecutors charged Daejon Labrayae Love, 35, in a $1.3 million romance-and-investment scam.
- Court records say an AI-generated Google blurb wrongly listed Love as a 49ers wideout.
- Victims include women in California, Oregon, Washington, and Idaho.
- Fresno police say most identity-theft reports can be filed online.
$1.3 million. That is how much federal prosecutors say two people pulled from at least 26 women by dressing up a lie as a football career and a hot investment. The accused ringleader is Daejon Labrayae Love, 35, who prosecutors say posed as a San Francisco 49ers wide receiver online and on dating apps. The case matters here because prosecutors say Californians are among the victims, and the trick involved an AI-generated search blurb a Fresno reader could see too.
By 3 p.m., Fresno hit 92.
What prosecutors say happened
A criminal complaint filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Oregon says Love and an 18-year-old associate, Taylor Jamie Chan, began pitching fake investments in February 2022, meeting most targets on dating apps and through Instagram. The pair allegedly told women they could buy into opportunities tied to Love’s supposed NFL standing, then cycled the money through accounts they controlled. Prosecutors say losses topped $1.3 million across four states. Love and Chan face federal wire fraud conspiracy counts; the complaint is an accusation, and both are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The Google AI blurb at issue
Court records include screenshots of a Google AI Overview that incorrectly stated Love was a 49ers wide receiver. Love posted the blurb on Instagram to bolster the persona, according to the complaint. And it worked, for a while. Prosecutors say he also filmed himself in team gear and crafted a social media routine that echoed a pro athlete’s life, which helped keep victims engaged and sending money.
Why this matters in the Valley
California is listed among the victim states. Fresno readers use the same dating apps and watch the same social feeds, so the red flags are local. The Fresno Police Department says most identity-theft reports can be filed online, and the department points residents to federal reporting portals for internet crime. State financial regulators also warn that romance scams often lean on job titles and glossy profiles to hurry people into wire transfers or crypto buys. If an online partner leans on an occupation to justify secrecy or pressure for quick payments, police want a report, not a second guess.
The 49ers have no record of Love on the roster. What sticks in the filings is one line from his Instagram Story that sat under the bad blurb he shared: "That’s Google, not me."
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