A scammer who posed as Pittsburgh Steelers player Eli Heidenreich allegedly defrauds two women in Pennsylvania out of about $1,000, according to reports. The alleged scheme involves multiple financial transactions carried out in July.
The victims are described as a 20-year-old woman and a 50-year-old woman, both from Avella, Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania State Police say they have not identified a suspect and are seeking information. While one outlet reports the scammer used the identity of Heidenreich, other details focus on the timing and the amount taken, with both accounts placing the total at roughly $1,000.
Additional context provided by one source notes that Heidenreich is a Pittsburgh native selected 230th overall in the 2026 NFL Draft and has not yet played an NFL game, underscoring that the impersonation involves someone who is not currently an active roster player. The investigation remains ongoing.
