Seven individuals from Chile have been indicted in a federal court in Florida for their involvement in a series of burglaries targeting the homes of well-known professional athletes across the United States, as detailed in a criminal complaint.
Although the complaint does not specify the names of the athletes, it does mention notable victims such as Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce from the Kansas City Chiefs, Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals, as well as players from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks and Memphis Grizzlies.
The complaint states that the suspects are linked to a burglary network that specifically aims at high-profile athletes when they are identified as being away from their residences. The defendants are reported to have stolen around $2 million worth of luxury items, including watches, jewelry, cash, and even a safe that they managed to break into.
All seven individuals are facing charges of conspiracy to engage in the interstate transportation of stolen property, an offense that carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison. Currently, it remains unclear if they are in custody, as there are no listed attorneys for them in the federal records from Tampa.
The individuals charged have been identified as Pablo Zuniga Cartes, 24; Ignacio Zuniga Cartes, 20; Bastian Jimenez Freraut, 27; Jordan Quiroga Sanchez, 22; Bastian Orellano Morales, 23; Alexander Huiaguil Chavez, 24; and Sergio Ortega Cabello, 38. While the FBI has labeled them as Chilean in the filing, it is not indicated whether any of them are U.S. citizens or possess legal status in the country.
Several of these suspects were apprehended in January in Ohio following a traffic stop related to state charges for allegedly breaking into Burrow’s home. Court documents filed in Clark County, Ohio, reveal that four of the men were found to be in the country unlawfully.
The federal charges were officially filed in Tampa on January 30.
Evidence presented in the FBI complaint relies heavily on cellphone data, surveillance footage, and license plate readers, which reportedly show the defendants in the vicinity of the targeted properties. Their methods primarily involved brute force, employing tactics like breaking windows or forcing open sliding glass doors with crowbars.
The FBI affidavit explains that these burglars typically approach homes from concealed locations such as wooded areas or darker settings before executing the break-in. One unnamed player from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers reported a theft involving $167,000 in valuables, including a Rolex watch, a Louis Vuitton suitcase, jewelry, and a firearm.
Basketball player Bobby Portis of the Milwaukee Bucks, whose house was also targeted, expressed relief at the news of the arrests during a practice session. He remarked, “It’s gratifying to know these individuals have been apprehended, especially after putting in so much effort into our careers, only to return home to find everything missing.” He emphasized the hard work that goes into acquiring personal possessions that hold value.
Moreover, the group took photographs of themselves posing with some of the stolen items, with evidence being included in the FBI filing. In one instance, a suspect was spotted wearing a Kansas City Chiefs shirt. According to the FBI, these burglary rings often split into smaller teams to carry out several burglaries simultaneously but maintain communication and collaboration among their members, as well as a shared network of buyers for their stolen goods.
