Seven migrants from Chile have been charged in connection with a series of burglaries across the United States that specifically targeted high-profile athletes, including NFL stars Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes, as revealed by federal officials on Tuesday.
A federal criminal complaint unveiled on Tuesday disclosed that since approximately October 2024, these migrants had been involved in a string of burglaries aimed at athletes from the NFL and NBA, breaking into their residences while the players were away competing in games.
The suspects were identified as members of a South American Theft Group (SATG), as per the complaint. The group took advantage of publicly available sports team schedules to determine when athletes would be away from their homes.
Joining three previous suspects linked to the burglaries, Jordan Quiroga Sanchez, Bastian Orellano Morales, and Sergio Ortega Cabello, are four additional defendants: Pablo Zuniga Cartes, Ignacio Zuniga Cartes, Alexander Huiaguil Chavez, and Bastian Jimenez Freraut.
A photo released by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida depicted the suspects posing with stolen items, with one individual seen wearing Kansas City Chiefs gear. The photo was taken at the residence of a Milwaukee Bucks player on November 2, 2024, coinciding with a reported burglary at the home of Bucks' Bobby Portis.
Incidents on October 5 and 7, 2024, detailed in the complaint, included burglaries at the homes of two Kansas City Chiefs players, reportedly Mahomes and Kelce. The complaint also referenced burglaries at the homes of players from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cincinnati Bengals, and Memphis Grizzlies.
The seven individuals face charges of conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property, with a potential maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison if convicted. The NFL issued a security alert to teams and the NFL Players Association, cautioning athletes about being targeted by organized burglary groups and advising increased security measures, such as installing home security systems and refraining from sharing detailed personal information on social media.
