For several months, brazen groups of thieves associated with South American gangs have been stealing large amounts of jewelry and cash from the residences of high-profile sports figures, including NFL stars like Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce.
These sophisticated criminals have utilized drones and signal jammers, occasionally impersonating delivery personnel or maintenance workers to infiltrate secured neighborhoods and bypass security systems, as highlighted in alerts from the NFL and NBA.
In recent weeks, law enforcement officials across the United States have made multiple arrests related to one of the notorious burglaries and found stolen sports memorabilia, jewelry, and art packed away in storage facilities in New Jersey.
A group of Chilean suspects apprehended in January while driving through Ohio has been charged with a theft that netted nearly $300,000 in designer luggage, watches, and jewelry from Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow’s residence. A federal complaint revealed that one suspect was photographed wearing a shiny necklace that featured Burrow’s jersey number, which he had previously displayed during interviews, as per documents unsealed on Wednesday.
According to Kenneth Parker, the U.S. Attorney for southern Ohio, “These individuals seem to be just the tip of the iceberg,” indicating that these individuals are likely collaborating with South American theft rings that have been raiding wealthy homes nationwide for years.
Federal authorities stated that luxury watches and jewelry stolen from various homes—including those not belonging to athletes—ended up at a pawn store located in Manhattan’s Diamond District and in nearby storage units. Recent court records accuse two men of fencing these stolen goods.
The connection between the series of burglaries targeting athletes and the South American crews remains unclear. Investigators have not disclosed many details since an FBI warning in December indicated that organized crime groups were focusing on professional athletes.
Investigators claim that international crime syndicates have been plundering upscale residences for an extended period, but they are increasingly targeting prominent figures in the NFL, NBA, and NHL.
In October, both Mahomes and Kelce’s homes were broken into shortly after one another while they were engaged in a game against New Orleans, during which Kelce’s well-known girlfriend Taylor Swift attended. The two athletes will attempt to guide the Chiefs toward winning three consecutive Super Bowl titles on Sunday.
Jewelry valued at approximately $30,000 was reported stolen from NBA All-Star Luka Doncic’s home in Dallas last December. Additionally, Evgeni Malkin, a star forward for the Pittsburgh Penguins, reported a burglary at his residence in January while his team was playing at home.
Authorities noted that thieves were striking on game days, knowing that players would be away, with many choosing to break in through rear windows.
Some theft groups have allegedly scouted targets by pretending to be home delivery personnel or joggers in private neighborhoods. Burrow’s residence, located in a gated area adjacent to woodlands, was broken into while he was in Dallas for a Monday Night Football game in December. The suspects involved were later found traveling with a glass-breaking tool that one had purchased from Home Depot, according to an FBI affidavit.
Players have been advised to enhance their home security and refrain from sharing their locations on social media.
The crime rings are primarily interested in cash and items that can be easily sold on the black market, such as jewelry, watches, and luxury handbags, according to an NBA advisory based on FBI information.
The two men charged this week in New York City are accused of purchasing stolen high-end watches and jewelry from various burglary rings and reselling them at their Manhattan pawnshop since 2020.
Legal documents linked the pair to five different burglary groups and connected one suspect to the burglary at a “high-profile athlete in Ohio” that occurred on the same day Burrow’s home was targeted.
During a court ruling on Friday, a judge denied bail for the pawnshop owners, noting that it would be “ironic” to release them just before the Super Bowl.
“This is one Super Bowl these defendants will have to watch from the sidelines,” U.S. District Court Judge William Kuntz remarked in his decision. “They will not be players this weekend.”
