The San Francisco 49ers maintain, citing information previously relayed to ESPN’s Kalyn Kahler by an unnamed team source, that they were unaware of Daejon Love—who allegedly posed as a player in an elaborate scheme—until the FBI contacted the organization in August 2026.
However, one of Love’s alleged victims disputes that timeline.
According to Kahler, Gwen Herndon submitted a “complaint/concern” form via the team’s website on December 20, 2025.
In her submission, Herndon alerted the organization to a federal investigation involving a man impersonating a 49ers player, identifying Love by name. She detailed allegations that he had stolen money from women and warned that his actions were “severely damaging the reputation of your team.”
“I wanted you to be aware of the situation and hopefully proactive in denouncing his involvement on your team,” Herndon wrote.
Herndon says she received a reply from Levi’s Stadium guest services one week later.
“We take reports of individuals misrepresenting themselves as members of the San Francisco 49ers very seriously,” the response read. “For safety and legal reasons, the team cannot comment on ongoing investigations or specific individuals. However, we appreciate you bringing this to our attention and encouraging proactive measures to protect the integrity of the organization. If you have information that could assist law enforcement or legal authorities, we encourage you to contact the appropriate agencies directly. Our internal team will also monitor any instances of impersonation and take action as appropriate to protect fans and the team’s reputation. Thank you again for your vigilance and concern for the Niners community.”
The 49ers declined to confirm the exchange to Kahler or provide further comment.
Love and his alleged accomplice, Taylor Chan, were arrested on August 24. Authorities allege the pair defrauded more than two dozen women of approximately $1.3 million. Last week, Kahler reported that the total number of victims may exceed 60.
If the 49ers were aware of Love’s activities in December 2025 but took no action, allowing the fraud to continue until the August arrests, it represents a significant issue for the franchise. While the team may avoid civil liability for victims defrauded after that date, the potential reputational damage is substantial.
