Federal prosecutors have accused a former college football player of orchestrating a scheme to illegally acquire nearly $20 million in loans, which includes a rather outlandish element—a disguise as an NFL player.
Luther Davis, who played as a defensive end for Alabama, allegedly impersonated Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr., free agent tight end David Njoku, and Green Bay Packers safety Xavier McKinney to secure fraudulent loans from various financial institutions.
In this plot, CJ Evins, a businessman from Georgia linked to Davis, is also considered to be a key player in the scam.
Documents from federal court, as reported by ESPN, claim that the two executed this fraud between May 2023 and October 2024. Notably, none of the NFL players authorized any of the loans, and their email accounts were reportedly used without their awareness.
What’s particularly absurd is that Davis attended the final loan meeting, dressing up and pretending to be an NFL player. He is said to have created fake financial statements, Secretary of State documents, and bank statements linked to the players’ companies.
For instance, on July 26, 2024, Davis allegedly masqueraded as Penix during a video meeting organized by Sure Sports and All-Pro Capital Funding at a hotel in Buford, Georgia. He showed up with “durag headgear” and presented a fictitious Florida driver’s license in an effort to secure a $3.3 million promissory note from AllPro Capital.
Court filings indicate there were at least 13 fraudulent loans amounting to over $19.8 million. The lenders supposedly transferred funds to accounts held by fake companies established by Davis and Evins, who then funneled the money to their own businesses.
A judicial hearing for this case is set for April 27, and Evins has been named in a separate filing that charges him with wire fraud and identity theft. Reports suggest he intends to plead guilty.
Davis was part of the 2009 Alabama team that clinched the national championship, appearing in 45 games and amassing 47 tackles during his college career.
