Seven Chilean men have been charged in the multi-million dollar heists of professional athletes like Kansas City Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, and Cincinnati Bengals star QB Joe Burrow.
According to a criminal complaint filed in Florida federal court on Tuesday, the men have been charged with conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property in the burglaries of NBA and NFL players across the country, the Associated Press reported.
If convicted, each of the seven suspects faces a maximum of 10 years in federal prison, the AP noted.
While the complaint doesn’t name each of the professional athletes who were burglarized, it does list the burglaries of professional players that were previously reported including the thefts at the homes of Mahomes, Kelce, and Burrow, the outlet noted.
The suspects were members of a South American Theft Group (SATG), the complaint noted.
Federal prosecutors in Tampa on Tuesday charged seven purported members of a South American theft group that allegedly targeted the homes of Kansas City Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce and other professional athletes around the country.https://t.co/zXyTxG2FY1
— Good Morning America (@GMA) February 19, 2025
“In many circumstances, professional sports teams will publicize their schedules and locations of their games, making it easy for the SATG to know when a particular athlete on a particular professional sports team will be away from his residence,” the complaint added.
The suspects named in the complaint are Jordan Quiroga Sanchez, 22; Bastian Orellano Morales, 23; Sergio Ortega Cabello, 38; Pablo Zuniga Cartes, 24; Ignacio Zuniga Cartes, 20; Alexander Huiaguil Chavez, 24; and Bastian Jimenez Freraut, 27, Fox News noted.
In December, the Cincinnati Bengals QB became the next athlete to have his home broken into while he was on a road trip with his team.
The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to WLWT that Burrows’ $7.5 million Ohio home was burglarized and ransacked during Cincinnati’s 27-20 win over the Cowboys in Texas.
The NFL previously issued a security alert to players and teams following burglaries of the homes of the Kansas City Chiefs stars in October.
In a memo obtained by the Associated Press at the time, the league said homes of professional athletes have become “increasingly targeted for burglaries by organized and skilled groups.”
The memo labeled the transnational crime rings “well-organized, sophisticated,” and urged the players to safeguard valuables and avoid publicly sharing check-ins on social media or any information about their homes and any luxury items they might own, NBC News noted.
Officials noted that the homes were specifically being targeted when players were at their games.
Related: NFL Star QB’s Home Broken Into While He’s Playing Monday Night Football Game
