Nothing looked out of the blue. A notary was watching on one end, a broker on the other, as an NFL superstar logged in on a virtual call. The paperwork was a breeze, the IDs were checked, and then they approved the millions of dollars. But here is the thing, the man on the screen apparently was not an athlete at all. He was allegedly a 300-pound former college football defensive lineman in disguise. He hid behind wigs and pulled off a heist that even Hollywood would find hard to believe. 

Between May 2023 and October 2024, federal prosecutors say that this operation unfolded in multiple layers, and at the center of it was apparently Luther Davis. Once a prized early recruit under Nick Saban, the 15th best defensive tackle in the class of 2007, according to reports, is now accused of planning a nearly $20 million fraud scheme for impersonating NFL players! And sources say he was not alone in doing this. 

As per a Criminal Information (CI) document, Davis and his associate, CJ Evins, allegedly carried out approximately “13 fraudulent loans totaling more than $19,845,000.” The players targeted were Michael Penix Jr., Xavier McKinney, and former Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku. The companies chosen were not random at all. 

They targeted companies like Aliya Sports and All Pro Capital Funding, where funds are approved based on projected earnings and trust in the identity of the client. After this, the way they pulled off the plan screamed “Money Heist.” 

First, they built what one can say is a digital mirror. Davis and Evins reportedly began by registering companies with the Georgia Secretary of State using names closely resembling the players or their initials. Like D.N. for David Njoku. From there, bank accounts were opened, fake email accounts created, and fraudulent identification documents like driver’s licenses were obtained. So by the time the lenders got involved, everything seemed legit on paper. But this was not all the planning they did. The professor move from Money Heist to actually get the money is the real shocker.

According to the filings, while closing the deals, Davis showed up on camera and in disguise. He wore wigs and makeup and even used accessories to mimic the players. In January 2024, he apparently used makeup and a wig to pose as Njoku while getting a $4.025 million loan through Aliya Sports. For identification, he presented a fake Georgia driver’s license with Njoku’s photo. But the number was tied to a woman from Savannah, Georgia. And it was not a one-off incident. 

Filings state that wearing a wig again and also presenting a fake driver’s license, he impersonated Xavier McKinney to get another $4.5 million, tied to Aliya Sports. Then came perhaps one of the most bizarre moments. On July 25, 2024, Davis allegedly wore a durag, similar to what Michael Penix Jr. has been seen wearing on the sidelines, and he used a fake Florida driver’s license to get a $3.3 million loan through All Pro Capital Funding. Despite the level of detail, none of the three players was involved in or connected to the alleged scheme in any way.

Federal prosecutors outlined the timeline plainly as

“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.”

But this scheme for sure exposed something that was deeper. Lenders often work remotely and rely on these high-profile clients based on trust and documentation. Davis didn’t break the system; he fit into it and then bent it to his will. And for this there are to be consequences.

Luther Davis stares at prison time, and this isn’t his first off-field trouble

It is not the first time Luther Davis has found himself under scrutiny for off-field issues. Shortly after his collegiate career at Alabama ended, he was linked to alleged violations of amateurism rules. Reports at the time suggested Davis acted as a middleman for sports agents in late 2011 and early 2012. He helped facilitate extra benefits for college football players. This time though the situation at hand is bigger and so will the consequences apparently be.

Reports indicate that Davis and Evins are expected to plead guilty in connection with the alleged $20 million scam now that the details are public. While not all 13 loans are fully outlined, the documents specifically reference three deals totaling around $11.6 million, identified through the initials of the impersonated players. A plea hearing is scheduled for April 27.

Both have been charged with aggravated identity theft and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The latter carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years. What happens next will likely become clearer once that hearing unfolds on April 27.

Also, in a strange turns of events, Njoku’s name appeared in another court filing tied to identity theft.

In a November 2025 federal lawsuit in Indiana, First Farmers & Trust discovered that a $5.265 million loan issued under Njoku’s name had not actually involved him. Instead, it was tied to an impersonator. “First Farmers subsequently discovered through an email from FBI Special Agent Christopher Maul, dated January 14, 2025, that the Loan Documents had not been signed by the actual professional football player, David Njoku, but by someone impersonating him, who had used a fake driver’s license during the Loan closing,” the bank wrote in a lawsuit.

Whether that particular loan is part of the 13 referenced in the CI filing remains unclear. But the method described closely mirrors the scheme outlined in the Georgia case. For a man who once helped build a championship program, the apparent fall is as dramatic as the scheme.