Claim: A federal judge sentenced CJ Evins to 6 years in prison for a scheme that impersonated NFL players to fraudulently obtain nearly $20 million in loans from investors.

In April, NBC News reported that former University of Alabama football player Luther Davis and his co-defendant, CJ Evins, were charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. According to the outlet, Davis allegedly donned makeup and wigs as part of an elaborate multimillion-dollar fraud scheme in which he secured loans while pretending to be NFL players.

According to court documents filed against the duo, between May 2023 and October 2024, they “executed a scheme to fraudulently obtain millions of dollars in loans from multiple lenders” by “impersonating professional football players and falsely claiming those players were seeking multi-million dollar loans.”

The victims, identified as X.M., D.N., and M.P., were “active professional football players in the National Football League.” Authorities alleged that after securing the funds, the lenders required the prospective borrowers to meet via video conference. That’s when Davis allegedly wore makeup and a wig during the video meetings to make it appear that he was the player seeking the loan.

Through the scheme, the duo obtained more than $19.8 million through 13 fraudulent loans and used the proceeds to purchase real estate, vehicles, and jewelry, according to the court filings. Both men later entered guilty pleas in April before U.S. District Judge Steven D. Grimberg in Atlanta. The latest reports show that Evins has been sentenced to six years in prison.

But is that really the case? Here’s what we found!

Our Verdict: True

According to the United States Attorney’s Office, a federal judge has sentenced CJ Evins to 72 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. The sentence is one year shorter than the punishment recommended under federal guidelines, but still longer than the term his attorney had sought as part of the plea agreement.

In a presentencing document filed last month, Evins’ attorney argued that Luther Davis “was the mastermind and primary instigator” behind the scheme, while describing Evins as someone who worked with Davis in an intern-like capacity. Also, Evins sought to meet with federal investigators shortly after learning about the investigation and later agreed to cooperate with authorities under the terms of his plea agreement.

Davis, meanwhile, is scheduled to appear for sentencing in a Georgia federal court on October 29.

Our fact-checking sources:

• ESPN, August 5, 2026. Co-defendant in football wire fraud scheme gets 6-year prison sentence
• United States Attorney’s Office, April 27, 2026. Georgia men plead guilty to nearly $20 million fraud and identity theft scheme that targeted professional athletes
• Fox10 News, April 15, 2026. Former Alabama defensive end accused of impersonating NFL stars in multi-million-dollar loan scam
• NBC News, April 17, 2026. Ex-Alabama football player accused of wearing wigs to impersonate NFL players in loan fraud scheme
• ABC 3340 News, April 29, 2026. Former Tide Player Pleads Guilty in Case Involving Impersonation of NFL Players
• SCRIBD, Luther Davis Charging Document