An impostor posing as Xavier McKinney defrauds an American sports lender

An American lender specializing in professional athletes transferred $4.375 million to what it believed to be Xavier McKinney, a star player for the Green Bay Packers, only to discover a few months later that it had been the victim of fraud.

The case is at the center of a lawsuit filed by Aliya Sports Finance Fund (ASFF) against the U.S. sports loan broker Sure Sports, which is accused of failing to conduct sufficient due diligence before introducing the alleged McKinney to the investor.

The FBI is currently investigating this transaction.

The loan was finalized on April 2, 2024, just a few weeks after McKinney signed a four-year, $67 million contract with the Packers. Sure Sports, founded in 2009, charges a fee for its matchmaking and due diligence services—in this case, $87,500—but Aliya accuses the broker of failing to perform due diligence, which allowed a third party to impersonate McKinney and embezzle the funds.

Sure Sports in Turmoil: Alleged Negligence and Fraud

Despite warnings regarding the source of the referral and the existence of an FBI investigation, Sure Sports allegedly failed to inform Aliya of a potential problem. It was not until several months later that the agent acknowledged it could be a case of fraud. Aliya accuses Sure Sports of negligence, unjust enrichment, and misrepresentation. The trial, scheduled to last three weeks beginning July 13 in Florida, promises to examine agents' verification practices in the sports industry.

Xavier McKinney and his agency, Athletes First, are not directly involved in the litigation. The FBI is investigating several identity fraud cases involving the player, some of which are linked to a phishing and sex trafficking scandal involving Kwamaine Jerell Ford. This is not the first time Sure Sports has found itself in court: in 2022, the company was sued for its role in the bankruptcy of NHL player Evander Kane.

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