Green Bay Packers safety Xavier McKinney has become the unwitting center of a major financial fraud case, after an impersonator successfully swindled $4.375 million from a sports lender using his identity—prompting an ongoing FBI investigation and a high-stakes lawsuit in Florida.
The scam and the lawsuit
In early April 2024, shortly after the real McKinney signed a four-year, $67 million deal with the Packers, lender Aliya Sports Finance Fund wired millions to a borrower they believed was the All-Pro safety. The loan was brokered by Sure Sports, which earned an $87,500 fee for connecting the parties. By that fall, Sure Sports alerted ASFF that the deal might be fraudulent and that the FBI was investigating. ASFF has since sued Sure Sports, alleging negligence and failure to perform basic due diligence.
McKinney caught in the crossfire
While McKinney himself appears to be a victim of identity theft with no involvement in the loan, his name and his company, XMK Companies LLC, were used without his knowledge. His agency, Athletes First, has declined to comment, and the real McKinney has not been named in the suit. However, this isn’t the only identity scam targeting him—a source indicates he was also victimized in a separate FBI probe involving phishing and fraud.
Broader implications for athlete lending
The case sheds light on the sometimes-shadowy world of high-interest loans to professional athletes, where due diligence can be lax and impersonation risks are very real. Sure Sports has been involved in previous athlete-lending controversies, including loans to NHL player Evander Kane during his bankruptcy. The upcoming July trial will test whether brokers bear responsibility when scams occur—and whether lenders will need to tighten protocols to prevent future fraud.
For now, Xavier McKinney remains focused on football—preparing for another season in Green Bay while lawyers and investigators untangle a multimillion-dollar mess he never saw coming.