Seven migrants from Chile have been charged in connection with a nationwide spree of burglaries that victimized high-profile athletes, including Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes, federal officials said Tuesday.
A federal criminal complaint unsealed on Tuesday reveals that, since around October 2024, the migrants have been targeting athletes from the NFL and NBA – breaking into their homes while the players were away competing in games.
According to the complaint, the suspects were members of a South American Theft Group (SATG). “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 noted.
The complaint adds four defendants to three previous suspects tied to the nationwide burglaries: Jordan Quiroga Sanchez, 22; Bastian Orellano Morales, 23; and Sergio Ortega Cabello, 38. The four other defendants are Pablo Zuniga Cartes, 24; Ignacio Zuniga Cartes, 20; Alexander Huiaguil Chavez, 24; and Bastian Jimenez Freraut, 27. In a photo released by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, the suspects are seen posing with their stolen goods. One suspect was seen wearing Kansas City Chiefs paraphernalia.
Authorities said the photo was taken at the home of a Milwaukee Bucks player on Nov. 2, 2024. Fox News Digital had previously reported that the home of Bucks’ Bobby Portis was burglarized on the same date. “This is a place I’ve considered home,” Portis wrote in a social media post following the home burglary. “While I was at my game yesterday, I had a home invasion, and they took most of my prized possessions.”
In other incidents on Oct. 5 and 7, 2024, the complaint details the burglary of two Kansas City Chiefs football players. Fox News Digital previously reported that the homes of Mahomes and Kelce were burglarized in October. The complaint also mentions the burglaries of a Tampa Bay Buccaneers player, a Cincinnati Bengals player, and a Memphis Grizzlies player. Details of the names of the players were not immediately available. Tuesday’s complaint comes more than a week after federal prosecutors named three of the seven men as suspects in the burglary of NFL player Joe Burrow’s home.
The seven individuals were all charged with conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property. If convicted, each would face a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. Information on their attorneys in the federal case was not immediately available.
NFL security memo
In a memo obtained by The Associated Press, the NFL issued a security alert to teams and the NFL Players Association, warning that professional athletes in different sports have become “increasingly targeted for burglaries by organized and skilled groups.”
Law enforcement officials said the suspects conduct extensive surveillance on their targets’ homes and have even posed as groundskeepers or joggers. Some have even attempted home deliveries.
The memo urged players to take special precautions, including installing home security systems. They were also encouraged not to post live updates of their comings and goings on social media or showcasing their expensive items online.
