A former University of Alabama football player on Monday pleaded guilty to committing fraud in taking millions of dollars from investors by pretending to be NFL players.
Luther Davis, 37, worked in concert with another individual, CJ Evins, 29, in donning disguises, including makeup and wigs, to impersonate NFL players to secure investments and loans from multiple individuals, according to guilty pleas entered into federal court in Atlanta.
The charges included conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. Both men face up to seven years in prison, but their plea deals should lower the sentence, which is scheduled to occur in August for Evins and in October for Davis.
A defensive lineman for the Crimson Tide from 2007-2010, including Alabama’s 2009 national championship team, Davis admitted to using fake bank accounts, fraudulent driver’s licenses and misleading emails to convince investors he was acting on behalf of famous athletes, or in some cases, he was the athlete himself.
The Guardian revealed details of the case in mid-April, reporting that the pair had obtained 13 loans in the names of current and former NFL players, including Michael Penix Jr., David Njoku and Xavier McKinney. The fraudulent loans obtained totaled more than $19,845,000, according to court documents.
“Davis and Evins convinced lenders they were NFL players, obtained millions of dollars in fraudulent loans, and used the proceeds of their crimes to purchase real estate and luxury items,” a statement from U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg read. “This scheme highlights that anyone can be a target of identity theft, and my office will vigorously investigate and prosecute swindlers who steal identities to defraud others.”
Davis, who owns a sports management company in Georgia, was part of Nick Saban’s first signing class at Alabama in 2007. The West Monroe, La., native who played in 45 games on the defensive line over four seasons with the Crimson Tide.
