Kwamaine Jerell Ford was indicted on March 16 for allegedly targeting professional athletes in a phishing scam that led to fraud and sex trafficking, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by federal authorities to address threats such as human trafficking and cybercrime, which are priorities for the office serving over 7.5 million residents across north Georgia, Atlanta suburbs, and bordering states according to the official website.
Ford, previously convicted in 2019 of computer fraud and aggravated identity theft for similar offenses, is accused of continuing his criminal activities while in federal custody. "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 S. Hertzberg. "Disturbingly, the indictment alleges that Ford went even further and used a fraudulent online persona to traffic a young woman and coerce her to produce hidden camera videos of commercial sex acts with unknowing individuals." Hertzberg holds the position of United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia according to the official website.
FBI Georgia Acting Special Agent in Charge Peter Ellis said, "Kwamaine Ford clearly did not learn from his prior conviction for a similar scheme. This time, he allegedly escalated his criminal activity—stealing identities and money while also moving into coercion and sex trafficking. The FBI’s dedicated agents remain committed to staying ahead of schemes like this and protecting the public from individuals who exploit and harm others for personal gain." The investigation revealed that beginning in November 2020, Ford allegedly obtained Apple account credentials from NBA and NFL players by posing as an adult film star online or as an Apple customer support representative through spoofed accounts. He then used stolen financial information for personal spending.
In May 2021, Ford is alleged to have coerced a female victim into commercial sex acts with professional athletes under false promises related to her modeling career. He advertised her services, coordinated travel arrangements, negotiated payments with athletes, threatened her using fake personas, took a share of proceeds from these acts, and reportedly coerced her into filming encounters without participants' knowledge or consent.
Ford appeared in federal court on March 13 where he pled not guilty to multiple counts including wire fraud, computer fraud, access device fraud, aggravated identity theft, and sex trafficking. A magistrate judge ordered him held without bail pending trial. The public is reminded that indictments are only charges; guilt must be proven beyond reasonable doubt at trial.
The U.S. Attorney's Office serves as the principal federal law enforcement agency in its district according to its official website, enforcing federal laws while collaborating with law enforcement partners nationwide according to its official website. The office coordinates cases with national or international dimensions according to its official website.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bernita B. Malloy and Phyllis Clerk are prosecuting this case following an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
