On Tuesday, four individuals from Chile were formally charged in relation to a series of burglaries targeting high-value residences in Ohio. The state’s attorney general decided against disclosing whether any professional athletes were among the intended victims of these burglaries.
These four suspects were apprehended earlier this month after being discovered in an SUV that contained a shirt from LSU and a hat belonging to the Cincinnati Bengals. Both items were thought to have been stolen from a residence in the Cincinnati area on December 9, as detailed in an affidavit.
This particular burglary coincided with a time when Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow was playing a game in Dallas, during which his home was also invaded. While court documents do not explicitly connect the arrested individuals to Burrow’s break-in, they do not specify the address of Burrow’s residence, who is also an LSU alumnus.
Attempts to contact Burrow’s agent for comments on this matter have gone unanswered. The office of Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost stated that further details cannot be released at this time due to the ongoing investigation.
The indictment documents do not clarify whether these men are tied to a broader wave of burglaries that have impacted various notable athletes from the NFL, NHL, and NBA. In December, the FBI issued a caution to professional sports leagues regarding organized crime factions that have begun targeting athletes, indicating that criminal enterprises from South America were using social media as a means to monitor their activities.
Numerous star athletes, including NFL quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce, as well as NBA players Luka Doncic and Mike Conley Jr., have reportedly been victims of similar thefts.
Court records obtained in Clark County, Ohio, reveal that authorities have detained six distinct burglary operations originating from South America, predominantly involving Chilean nationals, throughout their investigation into these widespread break-ins. The documents do not provide specific details on the timing or locations of the arrests nor do they clarify whether these incidents relate to any professional athletes.
The four suspects taken into custody in Fairborn, Ohio, were indicted for charges including engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, involvement in a criminal gang, and possession of tools intended for criminal activity. All four individuals were reported to be in the U.S. illegally or had exceeded their permitted stay, as indicated in the affidavit.
Law enforcement officials discovered tools typically used for breaking windows in the SUV, and it was revealed that three of the suspects were in possession of counterfeit identification documents.
Fortunately, no injuries were reported during the burglary at Burrow’s home, yet the scene showed signs of disarray, including a shattered bedroom window according to the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office. Following the incident, Burrow expressed feelings of having his personal space invaded, stating, “I feel like my privacy has been violated in more ways than one. Way more is out there than I would want out there and that I care to share.”
