Gwen Herndon claims to have told the San Francisco 49ers about Daejon Love’s fake player scam eight months before he was finally arrested.
Herndon says she submitted a “complaint/concern” form to the 49ers, claiming she is a victim in the FBI’s fraud case against Daejon Love, on December 20, 2025.
According to her message, which was reviewed by ESPN, Herndon wrote that “there is a federal investigation surrounding a man pretending to be a 49ers player.” In her complaint, she named Daejon Love and said he stole money from women and that “he is 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,” she told the team.
An unnamed 49ers source previously told ESPN that they were unaware of Daejon Love, who pretended to be a player on the team as part of a the alleged fraud scheme, until the FBI contacted the organization in August 2026.
Gwen Herndon revealed that the 49ers did respond to her message
“We take reports of individuals misrepresenting themselves as members of the San Francisco 49ers very seriously,” the 49ers’ 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.”
Herndon, 24, claims that after the email response in December, she had no further communication with the 49ers. She says she was upset that the team didn’t openly condemn Love, which is why she didn’t reply to the email response she received.
“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.”
Citing the FBI’s ongoing investigation, a 49ers representative declined to confirm the email correspondence or comment on it.
She filed a lawsuit against Daejon Love over the money he received from her
Last year, Herndon sued Love in Oregon’s small claims civil court. She claimed that she provided Love with $10,000 for an investment proposal he presented to her, but that Love blocked her once she began to question him and demand her money back.
According to Herndon, she reported Love to both her local police station and the FBI. She also put an advertisement in a local newspaper for weeks and started a Facebook page.
“Anyone I could try and get to listen to me,” Herndon said. “There is not one avenue I did not take.”
The FBI says there may be many more victims yet to be identified
This past Friday, the FBI said 35 additional women have been identified as potential victims of Daejeon Love, bringing the total to more than 60 alleged victims in the ongoing fraud case.
According to Portland FBI Special Agent in Charge Doug Olson, Daejeon Love, 35, and his alleged accomplice Taylor Chan may have many more victims who haven’t come forward yet. He asked anyone with information about Love and Chan to contact the Portland FBI.
Prosecutors accused Daejeon Love of scamming more than 20 women in at least four states out of over $1.3 million. In August, authorities took Love and Chan, 18, into custody at an airport in Boise, Idaho. Prosecutors charged the two men with wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud.