Ex-Alabama Player Pleads Guilty in $20M NFL Fraud Scheme

Luther Davis, a former University of Alabama defensive tackle, and accomplice C.J. Evins pleaded guilty Monday in federal court in Atlanta to charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft after orchestrating a scheme that defrauded lenders of nearly $20 million by impersonating NFL players.

The two men secured at least 13 fraudulent loans between May 2023 and October 2024, prosecutors said. They posed as athletes during video calls with lenders and notaries, using disguises such as makeup, wigs and a do-rag-style head covering. Davis also presented fake driver's licenses featuring photos of the players, which were readily available online. The impersonated players, identified in court documents only by the initials X.M., D.N. and M.P., had not authorized the loans.

Prosecutors detailed how the pair created bogus bank accounts, email addresses and corporations to convince lenders they were acting on behalf of or were the athletes themselves. Among the victims were Aliya Sports Finance Fund, All Pro Capital Funding and Sure Sports, a brokerage firm that handles financial deals for professional athletes. The proceeds funded purchases of real estate,...