A former Alabama football player impersonated three NFL players to take out millions of dollars of loans in their names, federal prosecutors contend.
Luther Davis, who played for the Crimson Tide from 2007-10. has been charged with wire fraud and identity theft after he allegedly created false documents and wore wigs to convince lenders that he was one of the players, ESPN reported, citing federal court records.
Davis is alleged to have posed as Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr., former Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku and Green Bay Packers defensive back Xavier McKinney to obtain nearly $20 million illegally, per the report.
He is alleged to have orchestrated the scam from May 2023 to October 2024 to receive multiple loans. A second person, Georgia business owner CJ Evins, also has been charged with wire fraud and identity theft.
None of the players are suspects in the case. Per the court documents, they did not authorize the financial transactions, and Davis is alleged to have created fake driver’s licenses, email accounts, business records and more to assist with the loan application process.
Davis is due in court on April 27, where AL.com reported he is expected to plead guilty. Evins also intends to plead guilty at the hearing, ESPN reported, citing Evins’ attorney.
According to court documents, Davis and Evins created “fabricated personal financial statements, Secretary of State documents, and bank statements for companies purportedly operated by the players.” Driver’s licenses with fake numbers reportedly were created with headshots of the players found online.
During at least one loan closing, Davis wore makeup and a wig to look like Njoku as he sought a $4 million loan, ESPN reported.
Two months later, on April 1, 2024, Davis allegedly showed up at a meeting in New York City with representatives from the same lender to finalize a $4.4 million loan, this time with McKinney supposedly the applicant.
And then in late July 2024, ESPN reported, Davis is accused of posing as Penix at a meeting in Georgia for a $3.3 million deal, offering a fake driver’s license as proof of identity.
According to court documents, lenders wired more than $19.8 million as part of 13 loans to business accounts that supposedly were owned by the players. Actually, Davis and Evins are alleged to have set up the fake business accounts, then transferred the funds to the accounts for businesses they actually operated.
In 2013, Davis was accused of violating NCAA rules, allegedly serving as the middle man to move impermissible benefits between five college players and NFL agents.
–Field Level Media
