The NBA and NFL were targeted previously as their houses were robbed. But in this case, federal authorities have stepped in to stop cybercrime and exploitation. At the center of it all is 34-year-old Kwamaine Jerell Ford, a Georgia man facing a slew of serious charges ranging from fraud to s– trafficking.

Ford orchestrated an elaborate operation impersonating a well-known adult film actress to lure unsuspecting athletes. He was previously convicted of computer fraud and aggravated identity theft over a similar $325,000 scheme in 2019. Prosecutors said that the alleged new scheme began in 2020, using a ‘two-pronged approach.’

First, he allegedly pretended to be an adult film star online and contacted players from the NFL and NBA. Ford offered them explicit photos in exchange for their login details. Then, he acted like Apple customer service to collect usernames, passwords, and security codes. So far, the players affected by this scheme have not been identified publicly.

They are identified in the indictment only by their initials. Authorities further claimed that Ford carried out over 2,000 unauthorized transactions, using the athletes’ linked credit and debit cards. He used it for everything from direct fund transfers to food delivery orders. “While serving time for stealing credit card numbers from athletes and celebrities to fund his lifestyle, Ford allegedly engaged in the same conduct again,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore Hertzberg.

He had previously pleaded guilty in 2019 to similar hacking-related offenses, serving time before being released early in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite being under supervision, investigators say he resumed phishing athletes within days of returning home—this time taking his tactics to a new level.

The Georgia native even allegedly coerced a woman into engaging in acts with the NBA and NFL stars. Now, Ford has pleaded not guilty to nine counts of wire fraud, seven counts of computer fraud, one count of access device fraud, four counts of aggravated identity theft, and a count of s– trafficking.

The prosecutors believe it is a clear case of exploitation of both the woman and the athletes. This projects the side of the internet where impersonation and phishing are gaining prominence.

Marcus Smart was another NBA player hit by a similar case

The issue with the Lakers star happened two years ago and is not related to Ford’s case. A medical biller was convicted after doing a massive insurance fraud scheme and posing as Marcus Smart, one of his aliases. Matthew James was convicted in July 2022 of fraud and identity theft charges. He ran medical billing companies and had convinced a few doctors to schedule surgeries via emergency rooms so that the insurance reimbursement rates would go up.

The bill would be different from the procedure, and the insurance companies would reject the claims. That’s when James would pretend to be an outraged patient, and one instance of impersonation was of Smart, who underwent hand surgery in 2018, according to reports. The former Grizzlies star even testified at James’ trial that the impersonation upset him.

Apart from NBA star Marcus Smart, even NFL lawyer and executive Jeff Pash was another victim.”These are people who work for the NFL, and I would hate to have them think that was me on that call,” Pash testified. It was a deeply concerning time for Pash and Smart. Similarly, the Kwamaine Ford’s case is equally disturbing as players and a woman were exploited.