A former college football national champion pleaded guilty to involvement in a $19.8 million fraud scandal for impersonating NFL players—wearing wigs and makeup in some cases to fool lenders—according to the Justice Department.
Luther Davis, 37, of Roswell, Georgia, was a defensive tackle for the Alabama Crimson Tide when the team won a national championship in 2010.
He and CJ Evins, 29, of Johns Creek, Georgia, pleaded guilty Monday to federal wire fraud and aggravated identity theft charges in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.
“Using fake documents, bogus corporations, wigs, and makeup, Davis and Evins convinced lenders they were NFL players, obtained millions of dollars in fraudulent loans, and used the proceeds of their crimes to purchase real estate and luxury items,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg of the Northern District of Georgia in a public statement.
“This scheme highlights that anyone can be a target of identity theft, and my office will vigorously investigate and prosecute swindlers who steal identities to defraud others,” Hertzberg continued.
The Justice Department did not release the names of the victims impersonated, but The Guardian first reported the three NFL players were Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr., former Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku, and Green Bay Packers safety Xavier McKinney. None authorized Davis and Evins to obtain loans in their names.
Sentencing for Evins is scheduled for Aug. 4, and for Davis on Oct. 8, both before U.S. District Judge Steven D. Grimberg. The two were charged in March.
The Justice Department says that between at least May 26, 2023, and Oct. 25, 2024, Davis and Evins secured millions of dollars in loans while claiming to act on behalf of professional athletes they falsely said they represented.
Davis and Evins registered companies with names closely related to the impersonated athletes’ names or initials, opened bank accounts for the fictitious companies, provided false financial statements, created fraudulent email accounts, and obtained fake driver’s licenses and identification cards in the athletes’ names.
After obtaining the loans in the players’ names, they used the proceeds to pay off previous loan balances and to fund purchases and refinancing of real estate, jewelry, and watches, according to the Justice Department.
As they sought higher-value loans, lenders required borrowers to appear on camera at loan closings. That is when the defendants posed as the borrowers by impersonating several professional athletes, including wearing wigs and makeup and signing loan paperwork in the athletes’ names, according to the Justice Department.
The scheme was uncovered by a union representing professional athletes, according to the Justice Department. It did not identify whether this was the NFL Players Association.
