Ex‑49ers Fan Alerted Team to Daejon Love’s Fraud Scheme Months Before Arrest

The San Francisco 49ers were apparently warned about Daejon Love before the FBI became involved.

Gwen Herndon, a self‑identified victim, told the 49ers in December — roughly eight months before Love’s arrest — that she submitted a complaint concerning him.

“It was apparent to me that there were so many victims and there were going to continue to be victims unless a public statement was made and was very visible,” she told ESPN. “I knew that based on how fast he was moving.”

A week later, Herndon received a reply from a general guest‑services account at Levi’s Stadium.

“We take reports of individuals misrepresenting themselves as members of the San Francisco 49ers very seriously,” the response said. “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.”

Herndon did not continue communication with the 49ers after that reply. It remains unclear whether any team member reviewed her email, though a source told ESPN that the 49ers had not received any reports about Love before the FBI contacted them in August.

In August, Love, 35, was arrested with 18‑year‑old Taylor Chan. They face charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud. Officials say Love repeatedly pretended to be a 49ers player or a wealthy real‑estate investor, using dating apps to lure women into sending money for supposed investments, as prosecutors allege.

Investigators initially determined that Love and Chan had defrauded 26 victims of more than $1.3 million across California, Idaho, Washington and Oregon. More recently, federal investigators announced the identification of 35 additional women who claim they were scammed, and the FBI suspects that further victims remain undiscovered.

Herndon filed a small‑claims lawsuit against Love in Oregon last year. As a real‑estate agent, she says she paid Love $10,000 for an investment proposition; when she began questioning the scheme and requested her money back, Love blocked her.

Herndon reported Love to the FBI and local police, created a Facebook group, and ran a newspaper advertisement for several weeks to raise awareness.

Her aim was simply to get anyone who would listen to her concerns.

Regarding the email exchange with the 49ers, Herndon expressed frustration.

“I trusted the Niners and believed them in saying there wasn’t much that they could do,” she said. “It was enough for me to know that they knew. In their own right, I also think that they are a victim.

“It’s unfortunate that it was possible that it [the email] wasn’t escalated and seen the way I hoped it was.”

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