Seven Men Charged in Nationwide Burglaries of Professional Athletes' Homes

Seven Chilean nationals have been charged in connection with a series of burglaries targeting the homes of professional athletes across the United States, according to a federal criminal complaint unsealed on Tuesday. The defendants, 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, are alleged to be members of a South American theft group. They have been accused of stealing property worth more than $2 million from the homes of athletes in the National Football League (NFL) and National Basketball Association (NBA) since October 2024.



The complaint details a string of burglaries targeting high-profile athletes, including Kansas City Chiefs players Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, and Milwaukee Bucks player Bobby Portis. The burglaries occurred while the athletes were away competing in games, with the thieves taking advantage of their absence to break into their homes.

Authorities believe the group used a variety of methods to carry out the burglaries, including breaking windows and using crowbars to pry open sliding glass doors. They also allegedly used Wi-Fi jammers to block Wi-Fi connections and disable security devices, covered security cameras, and disguised their identities.

In one instance, a selfie was taken by four men, one of whom had his face blocked out, posing with a collection of watches and a safe reportedly containing valuables worth approximately $1.5 million. The photo was believed to have been taken at a hotel shortly after the Wisconsin home of a Milwaukee Bucks player was burglarized on November 2, 2024.

Federal investigators have warned professional athletes about the rise of sophisticated burglaries carried out by organized international criminals. The FBI has stated that these groups conduct physical and technical surveillance in preparation for the burglaries, using publicly available information and social media to identify the patterns of life of potential victims and often knowing in advance where valuables are kept in a home.

The NFL has also issued warnings to its players, stating that thieves appear to exploit team schedules to target athletes' homes on game days. Some burglary groups conduct extensive surveillance, including making attempted home deliveries and posing as grounds maintenance or joggers in a neighborhood


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