The 49ers have said, via information previously provided by an unnamed team source to Kalyn Kahler of ESPN, that they did not know about Daejon Love, who allegedly posed as a player on the team as part of an elaborate scheme, until the FBI contacted the 49ers in August 2026.
One of Daejon Love’s alleged victims says otherwise.
Via Kahler, Gwen Herndon says she completed a “complaint/concern” form through the team’s website on December 20, 2025.
In the message, Herndon said “there is a federal investigation surrounding a man pretending to be a 49ers player,” and she named Love. She also said he stole money from women and that “he is severely damaging the reputation of your team.”
“I wanted you to be aware of the situation and hopefully proactive in denouncing his involvement on your team,” Herndon wrote to the 49ers.
She said she received a response from Levis Stadium guest services one week later.
“We take reports of individuals misrepresenting themselves as members of the San Francisco 49ers very seriously,” the response said. “For safety and legal reasons, the team cannot comment on ongoing investigations or specific individuals. However, we appreciate you bringing this to our attention and encouraging proactive measures to protect the integrity of the organization.
“If you have information that could assist law enforcement or legal authorities, we encourage you to contact the appropriate agencies directly. Our internal team will also monitor any instances of impersonation and take action as appropriate to protect fans and the team’s reputation. Thank you again for your vigilance and concern for the Niners community.”
The 49ers declined to confirm to Kahler the existence of the exchange or to otherwise comment.
Love and his alleged partner, Taylor Chan, were arrested on August 24. Authorities contend they defrauded more than two dozen women out of approximately $1.3 million. Last week, Kahler reported that the actual number of victims may exceed 60.
Obviously, if the 49ers knew about Love, took no action, and the fraud continued until the arrests in August, that would be a problem for the team. While it may not create civil liability to anyone who was defrauded after December 20, 2025, it’s a P.R. issue that would reflect very poorly on the organization.
