E-40 has spent enough time around the San Francisco 49ers to develop his own unofficial test for anyone claiming to have played for the team. Daejon Love, he says, would not have passed it.
The Bay Area rapper laughed about Love during a new TMZ Sports interview, after federal prosecutors accused the 35 year old of posing as a 49ers player while carrying out a romance and investment scheme.
“Should have called Water!” E-40 said, referring to his 40 Water nickname. He added that if someone claims to be a 49er and he has never heard of or met him, “he’s not a Niner.”
The joke comes from someone with a well established connection to the franchise. E-40 has publicly supported the 49ers for years, collaborated with the organization and released “Niner Gang” in 2019 as an anthem for the team and its fans.
E-40 Says He Could Have Spotted the Fake 49ers Story
E-40 told TMZ Sports that he had already heard about Love before host Michael Babcock brought up the federal case.
His response turned his familiarity with the team into a joke. If somebody claims to play for San Francisco but has never crossed paths with 40 Water, E-40 suggested, that should raise some questions.
He also criticized the alleged scheme itself, saying the women should have checked before handing over money. The San Francisco Chronicle reported the same exchange and noted that E-40 again identified the 49ers as his primary team during the wider interview.
Prosecutors Say Love Used the NFL Persona to Support Fake Investments
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Oregon says Love and Taylor Jamie Chan created fictitious investments as part of a scheme that began in February 2022.
Prosecutors allege that Love met many of the women through dating apps and portrayed himself as either a San Francisco 49ers player or a wealthy real estate investor. Chan allegedly posed as Love’s financial adviser.
The government says the pair used fabricated investment balances, screenshots and three way FaceTime calls to convince women that their money was producing large returns. Some victims were allegedly encouraged to take out personal loans.
Financial records show approximately $1.3 million was sent by 26 identified victims, according to prosecutors. The FBI believes additional victims may exist.
Wealth of Geeks previously detailed how investigators say the alleged romance and investment scheme operated, including the fake financial accounts and football persona used to support Love’s claims.
E-40’s 49ers Connection Goes Back Years
E-40’s attempt to appoint himself as an unofficial 49ers authenticity checker is not coming from a casual fan.
He released “Niner Gang” in 2019, a song celebrating the franchise and players including Jerry Rice and Ronnie Lott. The 49ers later described E-40 as one of the Bay Area musicians involved in the team’s Faithful to the Bay campaign.
The Love case has also become a running joke among actual 49ers players. Rookie receiver De’Zhaun Stribling recently switched from No. 15 to No. 7, the same number Love allegedly used while portraying himself as a player.
Stribling said he chose No. 7 because he wore it in high school, but laughed when reporters pointed out the connection to Love.
Love and Chan were arrested at Boise Airport on August 24 and were charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud. The charges are accusations, and both defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.