Woman claims she reported 49ers impersonator to team months before arrest image
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A man named Daejon Love was arrested last month last month for defrauding women by pretending to be a San Francisco 49ers wide receiver, but the 49ers may have known about the illegal activity months before.
A woman told ESPN that she told the 49ers last year that she was victimized by a Love when he impersonated being a 49ers player to scam her out of money. The woman said she gave Love over $10,000 for what he said was an investment opportunity, and when she tried to get her money back he disappeared.
Love was arrested last month after reportedly scamming dozens of women over the last several years. The 49ers said that they didn't know about the incident until the FBI told them in August.
Here's what the woman said when she reported Love to the 49ers.
Daejon Love victim reported crime to 49ers
Gwen Herndon, a 24-year-old real estate agent from Oregon, told ESPN's Kalyn Kahler that she notified the 49ers in December of 2025 that she was being scammed by fake-49ers players Daejon Love.
"There is a federal investigation surrounding a man pretending to be a 49ers player...he is severely damaging the reputation of your team," Herndon wrote in an email to the 49ers. "I wanted you to be aware of the situation and hopefully proactive in denouncing his involvement on your team."
Love was accused of building a fake social media life of him as a 49ers player to scam women out of a reported $1.3 million. The 35-year-old was arrested on August 24 for defrauding at least 26 women for conning women into believing they were starting a serious relationship with a football player.
Love and his associate, 18-year-old Taylor Chan, were charged with wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Herndon sued Love in small claims' civil court in March of 2025, claiming she gave him over $10,000 after pitching her an investment idea. Herndon reported her case to the police department in Eugene, Oregon, and she also a facebook group called "Victims of Jon Love" to try and warn others.
In response to Herndon's email, the 49ers acknowledged the situation but said the legal ramifications limited their response and encouraged her to contact law enforcement. The email did imply that an investigation into Love was already underway.
"We take reports of individuals misrepresenting themselves as members of the San Francisco 49ers very seriously. For safety and legal reasons, the team cannot comment on ongoing investigations or specific individuals," the 49ers said in the email response. "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."
Kahlen also reported that the 49ers said last month they had not received any reports about Love's criminal activity until the FBI told them in August. The Portland, Oregon FBI office opened an investigation into Love in September of 2024, and FBI special agent in charge Doug Olson told Kahler that the unit has found another 35 victims since arresting Love.
Herndon wasn't sure her email to the 49ers had the intended impact that she hoped it would.
"I trusted the Niners and believed them in saying there wasn't much that they could do," Herndon 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."