Ex-Alabama Player Charged in $20M NFL Impersonation Fraud

Luther Davis, a former University of Alabama football player, and his associate CJ Evins face federal charges for allegedly impersonating three NFL stars to secure nearly $20 million in fraudulent loans through a scheme that spanned from May 2023 to October 2024, according to court filings in Georgia.

Federal prosecutors in the Northern District of Georgia accused Davis, a defensive lineman on Alabama's 2009 national championship team, and Evins, a Georgia business owner, of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. The pair allegedly posed as Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr., Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku, and Green Bay Packers safety Xavier McKinney to obtain at least 13 loans totaling more than $19.8 million from lenders including Aliya Sports and All Pro Capital Funding. None of the impersonated players authorized the transactions or had any involvement in the scheme, prosecutors said.

The operation involved creating fake companies registered with the Georgia Secretary of State using names or initials tied to the players, along with fabricated bank accounts, email addresses, personal financial statements, and identification documents. Prosecutors...