Full Breakdown
Former Alabama Champion and Real-Estate Broker Plead Guilty to $20 Million NFL-Identity Fraud Scheme
4/29/2026, 9:53:45 PM
Guilty Pleas in $20 Million NFL-Identity Fraud Scheme
Former Alabama football champion Luther Davis and real-estate broker CJ Evins entered guilty pleas on Monday to a federal wire-fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity-theft charge. Prosecutors say the pair secured nearly $20 million in loans by falsely presenting themselves as National Football League athletes.
Principal Perpetrators: Luther Davis and CJ Evins
Luther Davis played for the University of Alabama during its late-2000s national-championship runs. CJ Evins, whose deleted LinkedIn profile listed him as a real-estate broker specializing in land and investment acquisitions, most recently served as director of investor relations at No Sweat Offer, a firm in Alpharetta, Georgia.
Chronology of the Fraudulent Loan Activities
The fraudulent activity spanned at least from May 26, 2023 through October 25, 2024, during which the duo obtained a dozen loans, one of which was later refinanced. A criminal information was filed on March 19-20, 2024, and the guilty pleas were entered the following Monday.
Loan Amounts, Fake Corporations, and Impersonation Tactics
To secure the loans, Davis and Evins created fictitious corporations bearing names or initials resembling NFL players, opened bank and email accounts under those entities, and supplied false personal financial statements, driver’s licenses and identification cards. When lenders required video presence, the pair used wigs, makeup and virtual backgrounds to impersonate the athletes, then signed applications in the players’ names. The proceeds funded luxury watches, jewelry, real-estate purchases and repayment of earlier debts, totaling $19,845,000 in fraudulent loans.
DOJ Statement on Identity-Theft Risks
U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia Theodore S. Hertzberg said the scheme underscores how identity theft can target anyone and affirmed the Justice Department’s commitment to aggressively pursue such fraud. He emphasized that the defendants’ deception involved elaborate false documentation and impersonation to obtain millions in credit. The remarks were issued in a DOJ press release on Monday.
Unidentified Victims and Information Gaps
The Department of Justice has not disclosed the identities of the NFL players whose names were used, leaving the victims unnamed. This omission limits public understanding of the scheme’s impact on the athletes and on the lending institutions that were deceived.
Verbatim Quotes
> “Using fake documents, bogus corporations, wigs, and makeup, Davis and Evins convinced lenders they were NFL players, obtained millions of dollars in fraudulent loans, and used the proceeds of their crimes to purchase real estate and luxury items,” — Theodore S. Hertzberg, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia
> “This scheme highlights that anyone can be a target of identity theft, and my office will vigorously investigate and prosecute swindlers who steal identities to defraud others.” — Theodore S. Hertzberg, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia
Future Court Dates
CJ Evins is scheduled for sentencing on August 4, 2026, while Luther Davis will be sentenced on October 8, 2026.
