Under Texas law, when two people agree to run a fake-persona scheme together and one of them takes a single step to carry it out, both can be charged as conspirators long before all the money is gone. Federal prosecutors in California say Daejon Love, 35, posed as a San Francisco 49ers player and a wealthy real estate investor to meet women on dating apps, while co-defendant Taylor Jamie Chan, 18, played the role of his "financial adviser," and that together they took about $1.3 million from at least 26 victims across four states. Because Frisco and DFW residents are targeted by nearly identical romance and fake-investment schemes, it is worth walking through how Texas would treat this kind of two-person, false-identity fraud.
What Was Daejon Love Accused Of?
According to federal authorities, Love and Chan were charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud in a scheme that began in February 2022 and ran for more than four years. Prosecutors allege Love used fictitious personas on dating profiles and social media, claimed a fortune worth tens of millions, advertised nonexistent investment vehicles, and shared screenshots of fake bank and investment balances, while Chan posed as his adviser and messaged victims about phony opportunities. These are allegations only, and both defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Is an Agreement Between Two People Its Own Crime in Texas?
Yes. Under Texas Penal Code Section 15.02, criminal conspiracy occurs when a person agrees with one or more others that a felony will be committed and at least one of them performs an overt act in furtherance of the agreement. The agreement itself, plus a single overt act, is enough, so the state does not have to prove the scheme fully succeeded or that every dollar was collected. A conspiracy to commit a felony is punished one category below the most serious offense that was the object of the agreement, which makes the underlying fraud grade the anchor for punishment.
Can Someone Be Guilty for a Partner's Actions?
Yes. Texas uses the law of parties in Penal Code Section 7.02, which makes a person criminally responsible for an offense committed by another when, acting with intent to promote or assist the crime, they solicit, encourage, aid, or attempt to aid the other person. In a two-role scheme where one person supplies the false identity and another plays the "adviser," each participant can be held responsible for the conduct of the other. That is why prosecutors often charge both an alleged mastermind and a supporting player under the same theory rather than treating them separately.
How Does Texas Treat a Fake Online Identity?
Texas addresses false personas directly through Penal Code Section 33.07, online impersonation, which makes it a crime to use another person's name or persona to create a web page or post messages on a social networking or commercial site with intent to harm, defraud, intimidate, or threaten. Using a made-up identity, a false name, or someone else's likeness to send messages intended to defraud can also fall within the statute depending on how the accounts are set up. When the false persona is paired with requests for money, the conduct can support both the impersonation charge and a fraud or theft charge arising from the same scheme.
How Would a Texas Court Handle a Case Like This?
A Frisco or Collin County prosecutor would likely pair a conspiracy count with theft by deception under Section 31.03, using the aggregation rule in Section 31.09 to combine the amounts taken from many victims under one continuing course of conduct into a single, higher-grade charge that rises with the total loss. The defense typically focuses on intent to defraud and each defendant's actual knowledge, since the state must prove the accused knew the representations were false and agreed to the scheme rather than simply being present or naive. Restitution to victims, disputes over which losses are attributable to which defendant, and challenges to how the value was aggregated are common battlegrounds in these cases.
How L&L Law Group Can Help
At L & L Law Group, PLLC, we defend clients across Frisco, Collin County, and the wider DFW area against conspiracy, fraud, theft, and online impersonation charges, whether the case involves a single accusation or a multi-defendant scheme with dozens of alleged victims. Our attorneys examine whether the state can actually prove an agreement and intent, whether our client's role supports party liability, and how the alleged loss was graded and aggregated, and we work to protect your record through dismissal, diversion, or reduced charges wherever the facts allow. If you or a loved one is facing a fraud or conspiracy investigation, contact L & L Law Group, PLLC for a confidential consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do prosecutors have to prove the scheme succeeded?
No. Under Section 15.02, an agreement to commit a felony plus one overt act in furtherance is enough for a conspiracy charge, even if the plan was never completed.
Can a supporting player face the same charges as the main actor?
Yes. Under the law of parties in Section 7.02, a person who intentionally aids or encourages an offense can be held responsible for the conduct of the other participant.
Is using a fake online identity a crime in Texas?
It can be. Section 33.07 makes online impersonation a crime when someone uses another's name or persona, or a false identity, with intent to harm, defraud, intimidate, or threaten.
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