Twin sisters say they were scammed by fake college recruiter, losing thousands in scholarship hoax
The Brief
Twin sisters Regina and Renita Deloatch say they were scammed out of nearly $6,000 by Malcolm Walker, who falsely posed as a college football recruiter promising a scholarship for Regina's son.
Walker allegedly convinced the family to withdraw Lonnie's scholarship from Mercer University, claiming he could secure a better opportunity, but failed to deliver and refused to refund the money.
The sisters reported Walker to authorities, and he is under investigation for multiple scams, including a previous arrest for defrauding victims with false fraternity entry promises.
GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. - Twin sisters who run a popular online sports show say their family was scammed out of thousands of dollars by a man now under investigation in multiple Georgia counties for allegedly posing as a college football recruiter.
In March, FOX 5 told you how Gainesville police arrested and charged Malcolm Walker with theft by deception for allegedly scamming coaches and families into thinking he would get their student athletes to meet college coaches. Now he's being investigated by Gwinnett County police as well.
SEE ALSO: Fake football recruiter accused of ripping off Georgia athletes, police say
What they're saying
Sisters Regina DeLoach-Ratliff and Renita DeLoach host an online show that highlights young athletes around metro Atlanta called TwinSportsTV.
Through their work, they met Malcolm Walker. They say that he promised to get DeLoach-Ratliff's son Lonnie Ratliff IV in front of major college coaches.
What happened next left them feeling betrayed.
"It has just devastated us to just think that you would turn around then and jeopardize and have my son lose his scholarship," DeLoach-Ratliff said.
Sisters Regina DeLoach-Ratliff and Renita DeLoach say they were victims of a scam that ended with them out of money and DeLoach-Ratliff's son without a scholarship. (FOX 5)
The sisters say that Walker convinced them to have Lonnie enter the transfer portal after last season, thereby forfeiting his scholarship to Mercer University, with the promise that he could get the aspiring professional football player noticed by bigger universities.
According to DeLoach-Ratliff, Walker sent them screenshots that he claimed were text messages with college coaches. He then asked them to send him money to pay for flights an hotels.
But the time came to go on a college visit, the sisters said Walker would back out.
"He was coming out with one excuse after another until it just never happened," DeLoach-Ratliff said.
In all, the family say they sent Walker around $6,000. When they finally asked for their money back after weeks without results, they say he again came back with excuse after excuse for more than three months.
"He makes you feel bad about asking for your own money back," DeLoach-Ratliff said.
Dig deeper
The sisters reported Walker to the Gwinnett County Police Department in March.
Investigators tell FOX 5's Eric Mock that they have two pending cases against the man.
Malcolm Walker's mugshot (Hall County Jail)
In 2024, investigators arrested Walker for allegedly being part of another scheme.
In that one, police reports say Walker told victims he could get them into a fraternity and to pay him dues through Cash App. Investigators say he took more than $12,000 from two victims.
What you can do
The sisters are urging any other coach or parents who believe they may have been scammed by Walker to report it to the police.
The Source
FOX 5's Eric Mock spoke with Regina Deloatch-Ratliff and Renita Deloatch, co-hosts of TwinSportsTV, about Malcolm Walker.
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