The 2025 NFL season is over and the players are all enjoying the offseason now. Being an NFL star is often not easy, as they are the targets of various types of scams and manipulation.
Just a few days ago, New Orleans Saints safety Justin Reid warned his fellow athletes to be aware of fraudsters offering investment opportunities. Now, another scam that targets football players has been identified.
Scammer used Teanna Trump persona to dupe NFL players
Kwamaine Jerell Ford has been charged with running an elaborate scheme that combined phishing, identity theft, and sex trafficking. According to the United States Attorney’s Office of the Northern District of Georgia, he targeted professional athletes, which included NFL and NBA players. The alleged scammer Ford used the persona of adult star Teanna Trump to lure the athletes into the trap. The adult star has not been accused of any wrongdoing.
NFL logo on a football at the goal line
Jan 27, 2026; Frisco, TX, USA; A view of the NFL logo on a football at the goal line during the second half between the East and the West at the Ford Center at the Star. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
The NFL Players Association has already sent an email to agents of all the players, including NBA players, to warn them of such scams. It warned them of the scam and asked those who have fallen victim to it to report to the FBI. Using the fake persona, he solicited sensitive information, such as login credentials for Apple iCloud accounts. Using access to those accounts, he then stole personal data and credit card details to make unauthorized purchases.
Ford is also accused of having tricked and coerced a young woman into commercial sex acts with athletes by promising to advance her modeling career. He advertised and negotiated payments from the athletes for the commercial sex acts.
He is further alleged to have coerced the female victim to film those encounters using hidden cameras without the players knowing about it, for possible use of blackmail. Using other fake identities, he used to threaten the woman to ensure she continued participating. Ford has been indicted already, though it is not his first time.
Scammer who duped NFL players charged
On March 13, 2026, Ford was indicted on 22 counts, including nine of wire fraud, seven of computer fraud, access device fraud, four of aggravated identity theft, and one of sex trafficking. He pleaded not guilty to all those charges.
The fraudster had already been in federal custody for a prior conviction seven years ago. He was guilty of computer fraud and aggravated identity theft after hacking more than 100 Apple accounts belonging to athletes and celebrities. He still continued it after being jailed since November, 2020 while in the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons. He is said to have spent approximately $325,000 from the previous scam.
The case remains open, and the FBI is seeking more information from victims. NFL players have to be careful from such scams going forward.