Luther Davis, a former defensive tackle who was part of Alabama’s 2010 national title team, found himself at the centre of a massive identity theft scheme last month. Davis was accused of orchestrating a nearly $20 million fraud scheme by impersonating NFL players, including Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. While the FBI continues to examine the extent of the scheme, Davis and his associate, CJ Evins, are already facing the consequences.
On Monday, Luther Davis pleaded guilty in federal court in Atlanta to aggravated identity theft and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Evins entered the same plea on both counts. After the hearing, Davis’ legal team declined to comment on the situation.
This year, Davis is also scheduled to be sentenced on October 8, while Evins will be sentenced on August 4. Each could face up to seven years in prison, although prosecutors have agreed to recommend lighter sentences as part of Davis and Evins’ plea deals. Meanwhile, the Department of Justice has revealed that the FBI continues to investigate the case, and more names could surface.
“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. 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,” U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg stated in his statement on Monday.
In court, Assistant U.S. Attorney C. Brock Brockington further detailed how Davis and Evins built their deception to get loans. As per Brockington, the duo created fake bank accounts and email addresses to pose as athletes or representatives acting on their behalf.
As their confidence grew, Davis and Evins even began targeting high-profile players like Michael Penix Jr. with much bigger contracts. Brockington also revealed that security linked to a players’ union flagged that real contracts had been used as collateral.
According to a criminal complaint, Davis and Evins secured nearly $20 million through at least 13 fraudulent loans. But Davis and Evins didn’t just stash the money – they actively used it to pay off balances and fund lavish lifestyles.
Also, this isn’t Davis’ first scheme to get more benefits. Shortly after his college career ended, Davis was accused of violating NCAA rules by acting as a middleman for sports agents back in 2011 and 2012. At that time, Davis sought to get more benefits for college football players and earned a profit himself. But this time, Davis’ operation went far beyond bending rules – it crossed firmly into federal crime.
In a criminal filing, federal prosecutors revealed the exact timeline of Luther Davis’ scam:
“Beginning no later than in or around May 2023 and continuing through in or about October 2024, the defendant, Luther Davis, and CJ Evins executed a scheme to fraudulently obtain millions of dollars in loans from multiple lenders, including, but not limited to, Aliya Sports and All Pro Capital Funding, by impersonating professional football players and falsely claiming those players were seeking multi-million dollar loans.”
Davis and Evins reportedly launched their fraud scheme as early as May 2023. They registered companies with the Georgia Secretary of State using names closely resembling NFL players or their initials. After that, Davis and Evins built a paper trail with fake emails, bank accounts, and even fraudulent IDs to make everything appear legitimate. By the time lenders got involved, Davis and Evins’ setup looked convincing.
In 2024, when loan closings required video appearances, Davis further leaned into deception. Prosecutors revealed that Davis used disguises during video calls, posing as three different players – once with makeup and a wig, another time with just a wig, and later with a do-rag-style covering. It sounds almost unbelievable, yet the “Money Heist” worked.
Earlier this month, The Guardian revealed that reports identified multiple players whose identities were misused, including former Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku, Green Bay Packers safety Xavier McKinney, and Michael Penix Jr. None of these NFL players reportedly authorized the loans that Davis and Evins took out in their name. Prosecutors also revealed that Davis used fake driver’s licenses featuring publicly available images of these players.
Ultimately, Davis’ case exposes a vulnerability in modern lending. Davis understood that many financial transactions now happen remotely, often relying heavily on documentation and assumed credibility. So, Davis blended into that system and then exploited it. And for that, Davis and his associate will have to face time in prison.
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