Federal prosecutors say former Alabama defensive lineman Luther Davis took part in a scheme that used the identity of Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and other NFL players to secure millions of dollars in fraudulent loans.
According to court documents filed in Georgia and obtained by The Guardian, Davis and alleged accomplice CJ Evins obtained at least 13 loans worth nearly $20 million between May 2023 and October 2024 by posing as professional football players during virtual loan closings.
One of those loans allegedly involved Penix, the Falcons quarterback selected eighth overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. Prosecutors say Davis impersonated Penix to obtain a $3.3 million loan through All Pro Capital Funding that had been arranged by sports finance broker Sure Sports.
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Court records claim Davis appeared at a July 25, 2024, virtual closing wearing a durag and presented a fake Florida driver’s license in Penix’s name.
Penix, who starred at the University of Washington before joining Atlanta, has quickly become one of the NFL’s most recognizable young quarterbacks. After overcoming multiple injuries during his college career at Indiana and Washington, Penix led the Huskies to the 2024 College Football Playoff National Championship game and finished second in Heisman Trophy voting.
He later took over as the Falcons’ starter during his rookie season and is one of only three left-handed starting quarterbacks currently in the NFL.
Federal prosecutors allege Davis and Evins built fake companies using names linked to the players they were targeting, then opened bank accounts and email addresses designed to make the businesses appear legitimate.
“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,” prosecutors wrote in the criminal filing.
The filing also links the pair to loans allegedly obtained by impersonating Green Bay Packers safety Xavier McKinney and former Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku.
Prosecutors claim Davis used wigs, makeup, and false identification documents to convince notaries and lenders that he was the athlete listed on the paperwork.
In the alleged Penix transaction, investigators say Davis leaned into the quarterback’s public image by appearing in a durag, something Penix is often seen wearing on the Falcons sidelines.
Neither Penix nor the other NFL players named in the filings are accused of wrongdoing. Authorities say their identities were stolen and used without their knowledge.
Davis and Evins have each notified the court that they intend to plead guilty to aggravated identity theft and conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
A plea hearing is scheduled for April 27, and the wire fraud charge alone carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison.
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