All roads lead to larp—but contrary to older generations, that’s nothing new. That is, the idea behind it. From phrases like “fake it til you make it,” and real-life con artists like Anna “Delvey” Sorokin, larp-ing has been a facet of human society throughout history. Even Hollywood got in on it in the early 2000s, with Leonardo DiCaprio’s performance of Frank Abagnale Jr. in “Catch me if you can,”—portraying a picture-perfect snapshot of the larp-ing sensation. But in the age of social media and the internet, it’s only gotten more popular—and with that comes bigger stakes.
The NFL was meant to be a league of professional athletes, showcasing the peak of athleticism as America’s most-watched sporting event every year. But recent reports show how easily larping—originally meaning Live Action Roleplay, but has since morphed into a Gen Z slang regarding acting as someone you are not—can be used to repurpose its image for more sinister plans. Men who have allegedly never made an NFL roster used manipulation tactics to build relationships and even businesses through posing as football athletes, according to federal investigators—showing how the modern-day larp goes further than a light-hearted trend.
Federal prosecutors say Daejon Labrayae Love spent years presenting himself as an NFL player or wealthy real-estate investor, meeting women on dating apps and eventually steering them toward nonexistent investments. Love illustrates a modern form of “larp-ing,”—taking the idea of playing a character and applying it to real life, where the costume can be an NFL jersey, the resume can be an Instagram account and the audience can be a potential payday.
Larp is traditionally known as an acronym for “live-action role-playing”—a form of role-playing where participants physically act out fictional characters and scenarios. But the term has also developed an informal meaning—to “larp” can mean performing an identity or persona rather than genuinely being what someone claims to be. That definition closely resembles the modern social media trend sweeping younger generations and capturing Gen Z’s trendy vernacular.
Love’s larp-ing scam
According to a press release from the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon, Love and 18-year-old Taylor Jamie Chan were charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud after allegedly creating fictitious investments and using them to defraud women in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and California.
“Love convinced many of the victims they were in sincere romantic relationships with Love, that he was a sophisticated investor, and that Chan was his investment adviser who helped Love grow a fortune worth tens of millions of dollars,” the release read. “Love had romantic relationships with many of the victims and told them he wanted to build wealth and a future together.”
The government says the scheme began in February 2022, when Love allegedly met most of his victims through dating apps—posing as either a San Francisco 49ers player or a wealthy Swiss real-estate investor. He reportedly cultivated the appearance of wealth through social media and in-person interactions while convincing women they were involved in genuine romantic relationships.
According to investigators, the football identity was central to the performance. The investigation found Love posted photographs and videos of himself wearing 49ers gear and portrayed himself as a legitimate player. According to an FBI affidavit, Love even filmed himself appearing to sign what he represented as an NFL contract. The affidavit also stated that representatives for the NFL and the San Francisco 49ers told investigators that Love had never been employed by either organization.
Love allegedly then introduced the investment component. Chan posed as his financial adviser, prosecutors said, helping make the supposed investments appear legitimate. The pair allegedly used phone applications to manufacture bank and investment accounts showing fake balances and participated in three-way calls to encourage women to put their own money into investments that prosecutors say did not exist.
The alleged haul was about $1.3 million from 26 identified victims, according to financial records cited by federal prosecutors. The FBI believes there may be additional victims.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation declined to provide further comment on the case to Fortune.
There’s a lot more to Love
Love’s not the only one to break hearts and portray himself as a professional athlete. According to reports from the Dallas Morning News, former Division II football player Uras Agee IV presented himself online as having played for the Dallas Cowboys, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Pittsburgh Steelers. His social media bio also reportedly described him as a Super Bowl LV winner and a Dallas Cowboys safety.
Agee does have verified history in the sport of football: he appeared on Shorter University’s 2017 roster. There is, however, no verified evidence of Agee on an NFL roster.
The reports also found social media material in which Agee appeared in NFL team gear and workout videos, as well as a graphic that appeared to announce him joining Roc Nation—the entertainment and sports agency founded by Jay-Z. Then, there was the charity appearance.
In 2023, Agee appeared at a Tampa-area wellness business wearing Cowboys gear and signed a football for a holiday donation drive. The business said the autographed football would be given to a child through Toys for Tots. CBS News Texas reported that photographs from the event showed Agee participating in the charity effort. The Dallas Cowboys told CBS that Agee had “never been a player/signed a contract with the Dallas Cowboys.”
A profile claiming to be Agee on a website appears to charge $240 for a social media deal, $600 for a brand ambassador deal and $3,000 for an appearance fee.
There is no criminal investigation regarding Agee’s case.