Georgia Felon Pleads Guilty to Identity Theft and Sex Trafficking
A Georgia man has admitted to numerous charges related to identity theft, financial fraud, and sex trafficking. Kwamain Jerrell Ford, 34, posed as a porn star, convincing NBA and NFL players to engage with women who were coerced into prostitution.
According to federal officials, Ford managed to acquire credit card and banking details from various professional athletes, siphoning off their funds for his own benefit. This information was outlined in a March 16 court filing.
Ford’s latest illicit activities reportedly began in November 2020, while he was already incarcerated for other crimes, as stated by the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia. The indictment reveals that even while serving time for stealing credit card information from athletes and celebrities, Ford allegedly replicated these actions.
U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg noted, “While imprisoned for previous criminal activities, he is suspected of repeating them. Disturbingly, he allegedly used fake online identities to traffic young women, coercing them into recording explicit acts without the knowledge of the individuals involved.”
Investigators found that Ford unlawfully acquired the Apple ID login details of several anonymous athletes by initially masquerading as a well-known porn star, gaining the athletes’ trust. Subsequently, he posed as an Apple customer service representative to extract further information, which enabled him to access bank and credit card accounts.
Prosecutors claim Ford pressured one woman to record explicit videos, which he later shared with athletes as a means to deepen the deceit. By 2021, he was compelling women to engage in sexual encounters with various athletes, secretly filming them. Reports indicate he deceived these women into thinking that a sexual relationship would boost their modeling careers.
Ford employed fake online personas to accept payments for sexual encounters, keeping a portion of the money for himself. Additionally, he created a false identity to intimidate the women he was trafficking, using threats to ensure compliance.
In a court appearance on March 13, Ford pleaded guilty to nine counts of wire fraud, seven counts of computer fraud, one count of access device fraud, four counts of aggravated identity theft, and one count of sex trafficking. He has been ordered to remain in custody without bail.
The FBI is leading the investigation. Peter Ellis, Acting Special Agent in Charge for Georgia, emphasized that Ford’s actions displayed a blatant disregard for the law, escalating his criminal behavior. “The FBI is determined to combat such schemes and protect the public from those who exploit others for personal gain,” he stated.
