Lowcountry football coach accused of defrauding players out of cash

HARDEEVILLE, SC (WSAV) – The Jasper County Sheriff's Office says a man took advantage of children's soccer dreams to make money. Now he has to face criminal charges because he is accused of fraud with the promise of scholarships and success.

Nathaniel Drayton is charged with six counts of obtaining a signature and property by false pretenses and two counts of defrauding an innkeeper.

Jasper County investigators say Drayton committed these crimes as head coach of the Hardeeville Vikings, a football program that described itself on social media as a “post-graduate football program.” We are getting offers for university graduates.”

Players say he promised them not only a chance to play, but also meals, a place to live and more. All of this was possible if they paid to come to Hardeeville and be on the team.

“He promised them a football camp. He promised them a place to stay. He promised a meal preparation,” said Jasper County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Jeff Crosby. “He promised them games to showcase their talents. None of this comes to light.”

Children and families donated between $1,200 and $4,400 for this opportunity. The Vikings wore uniforms and held practices, but never played a real game. Drayton couldn't even afford to put the players up in a local hotel.

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“I want to say that initially they lived in an apartment complex. They were thrown out of there,” Crosby said. “Then they went to a motel in Hardeeville and were thrown out. And then he moved her to another motel. And they were evicted from that motel. Both are alone because of non-payment of a motel loan. He owes them $4,000 for staying there.”

Crosby says investigators spoke to six different groups of players and families, not only from our region, but also from Michigan and Florida. This is how they arrived at the specific charges against these children between the ages of 17 and 22.

“All the children say they didn’t get meals. They didn't get any football games. “One time they were practicing in the grass parking lot of a nightclub down here south of Ridgeland,” Crosby said. “So it was a complete fraud.”

A murder occurred in this parking lot a few years ago, Crosby said.

Drayton raised funds to supposedly help the Vikings, but investigators say they have not discovered how much money, if any, he raised.

“I know he showed up at one of the churches and then the report says he smoked marijuana when he came to the church to get them to use their field,” Crosby said. “I don’t know if that’s true, but it’s in the report.”

Crosby said the worst part wasn't even the money Drayton took, but the fact that this program cost the futures of some of these players.

“Some of these kids had offers to play college ball. They are no longer entitled to do that,” he said. “They have lost their eligibility to play college ball because of this fraud.”

Crosby believes this will be just the beginning of Drayton's legal troubles.

“There is still a lengthy investigation,” he added. “Like I said, there are probably victims all over the country who have contacted him.”

If you have any information regarding this investigation, you may call investigators at the Jasper County Sheriff's Office. If you have questions about a team or a situation like this, Crosby recommends taking your time before handing over money.

“Do your homework, look at it,” he advised, “look around and see what you can find out. Search the Internet, you know, so you don't get caught up in the scam.”

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