Ex-Alabama player accused of impersonating Michael Penix Jr., other NFL players in loan fraud case
Michael Penix Jr. | CBS
A former Alabama football player is facing wire fraud and identity theft charges as part of a scheme that involved him impersonating Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and other NFL players to secure nearly $20 million in loans, according to federal court documents.
Charges against Luther Davis, owner of the Georgia-based sports management company RockSource and former Crimson Tide defensive lineman, were filed in mid-March.
According to documents filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, Davis partnered with CJ Evins, the founder of Deed Chasers LLC, to defraud lenders “by impersonating professional football players and falsely claiming those players were seeking multi-million dollar loans.”
Prosecutors say Davis and Evins used the identities of three NFL players and false documents to apply for loans. While players are only identified in the document as “D.N.,” “X.M.,” and “M.P.” in the court documents, The Guardian, which first reported the story, identified the players as Penix, former Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku, and Green Bay Packers safety Xavier McKinney. The players were not aware that they were being used as part of the scheme, officials said.
The pair allegedly used fake personal financial and bank statements, driver’s licenses, and Secretary of State documents in an attempt to trick lenders into believing that the loans were for companies owned by the players.
Davis attended the closings for the loans wearing wigs and other clothing to impersonate the players, officials say. In Penix’s case, prosecutors claim Davis “wore a durag-style head covering.”
“Unbeknownst to the broker and the lender, none of the players who were supposedly receiving the loans attended any of these closings,” the document reads. “Rather, defendant Davis dressed in disguise and impersonated the players, providing fake identification documents to convince the notary.”
According to the document, the pair received more than $19.8 million in fraudulent loans between May 2023 and October 2024. Prosecutors say the two used the loan proceeds to buy real estate, vehicles, and jewelry.
Plea hearings are scheduled for Davis and Evins for April 27 in Atlanta. Evin’s attorney told ESPN that his client is expected to plead guilty.
