Jalen Turner, the Minnesota Vikings’ first round draft pick for 2024, faced a life-altering experience. That’s how he ended up falling prey to a sophisticated fraud scheme, losing an estimated $240,000 in the process. The 22-year-old linebacker, who cemented his rookie season at the University of Alabama, produced three sacks and one interception. In April, he notified the Eagan Police Department, leading to their investigation.
Turner shared the experience in a Twitter thread, sparking outrage. As their conversation continued, he began to worry that he had been targeted in a scam to defraud him out of money. He then called the police to report that an unknown caller had instructed him to wire money and steal it. The caller asserted that it was needed to thwart a planned theft from two unrelated businesses.
In a statement regarding the ongoing investigation, Eagan Police Sgt. Rich Evans noted, “Through our investigation, several suspects have been identified, and we are working toward criminal charges to hold them accountable.” The Eagan Police Department is continuing an active investigation into the incident. They’re investigating whether employees at JPMorgan Chase played a role in the scam.
The investigation continues, with police filing an affidavit for a search warrant in Dakota County District Court. Yet another example in this document shows that someone unsuccessfully attempted to impersonate Turner at an Arizona Chase Bank branch. They submitted two forms of ID in a failed attempt to complete a wire transfer.
According to Eagan PD, the investigation remains very active. They’ve reached out to JPMorgan Chase directly to request information on their internal investigation. Independent contractor Turner has received about $2,500 of the stolen money. The investigation is ongoing in an effort to recover the rest.
The fraud incident has stoked anxiety within the financial community about what vulnerabilities might be exploited and scams targeting politically-connected individuals. Eagan Police continue to actively pursue all available leads. At the same time, Turner and his legal team continue to be in regular communication with law enforcement to ensure that justice prevails.
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