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A former Alabama defensive end is facing federal charges after prosecutors say he pulled off an elaborate scheme – complete with wigs, makeup and fake driver’s licenses – to impersonate three current NFL players and secure nearly $20 million in fraudulent loans.
Luther Davis, who played for the Crimson Tide from 2007 to 2010, allegedly pretended to be Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr., Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku and Green Bay Packers safety Xavier McKinney over an 18-month span that ran from May 2023 through October 2024.
The charges include wire fraud and identity theft.
According to federal court documents filed March 19 in Atlanta, Davis worked alongside CJ Evins to convince multiple lending agencies they were legitimate NFL stars looking for loans. They set up fake email accounts without the players’ knowledge; none of the three athletes had authorized any loans or even knew what was happening.
Here’s where it gets wild – Davis allegedly showed up in person at loan closings dressed as these players. He wore wigs and makeup, carried fabricated driver’s licenses and even participated in video conferences while pretending to be someone else entirely.
In one instance on Jan. 22, 2024, Davis appeared on a recorded video call wearing makeup and a wig to close a $4 million loan with Aliya Sports Finance and underwriter Sure Sports while impersonating Njoku. The fake Georgia driver’s license he provided? It actually belonged to a woman living in Savannah.
The scheme wasn’t just a one-time thing. Court filings detail at least 13 separate fraudulent loans totaling more than $19.8 million.
Two months after the Njoku impersonation, Davis and Evins allegedly flew from Atlanta to New York City for another loan closing. On April 1, 2024, they met with representatives from Sure Sports and Aliya at the Ritz-Carlton – this time with Davis posing as McKinney to secure a $4.4 million loan through a video conference.
The July 26, 2024 incident might be the most brazen. Davis showed up at a SpringHill Suites in Buford, Georgia, wearing what prosecutors described as a “durag-style head covering” and carrying a fake Florida license with a photo he’d apparently pulled from the internet. He walked away with a $3.3 million promissory note from All-Pro Capital Funding – all while pretending to be Penix.
Prosecutors say Davis and Evins didn’t just fake identities. They created entire fake financial portfolios for these players, including fabricated personal financial statements, Secretary of State documents and bank statements for companies the athletes supposedly operated. To make it all look legitimate, they registered companies with names similar to the players’ actual business entities.
Once lenders wired money to accounts for these fake companies, Davis and Evins allegedly transferred the funds into businesses they actually controlled.
Both men are scheduled for plea hearings on April 27. Evins’ attorney, Ben Alper, confirmed to ESPN in an email that his client plans to plead guilty. Davis’ attorney hasn’t responded to requests for comment.
The fallout has already spilled into civil court. Aliya sued Sure Sports in Florida’s 11th Circuit Court this past February, alleging negligence, gross negligence, negligent misrepresentation and unjust enrichment. That case is still working its way through the system.
“The Aliya Sports Finance Fund, L.P. is working to protect its investors from improper conduct that has caused damage to the fund,” Aliya attorney Josh Rubens wrote in an email to ESPN. “The fund cannot comment further given the pending litigation.”
Darren Heitner, who’s representing Sure Sports, declined to comment.
The March 19 filing is what’s called a “criminal information” – basically a document that’s typically used when a defendant waives their right to a grand jury indictment. It usually means a guilty plea or plea bargain is coming.
Davis wasn’t exactly a nobody when he played at Alabama. He came in as a top-150 high school prospect in ESPN’s recruiting rankings and played defensive end for four seasons, racking up 47 tackles and winning a national championship during the 2009 season.
This isn’t Davis’ first brush with controversy either. Back in 2013, he was allegedly acting as an intermediary between five SEC players and NFL agents – helping players receive impermissible benefits, which was a violation of NCAA rules at the time.
