7 charged in $2M theft ring targeting pro athletes' homes, Bucs player among victims: DOJ
TAMPA, Fla. - Seven Chilean nationals now face federal charges in a series of burglaries targeting the homes of high-profile professional athletes, including a Tampa Bay Buccaneers player, according to the Justice Department.
Nationwide burglary spree
The backstory:
According to the complaint filed in the Middle District of Florida, all seven men were members of a South American group who entered the homes of NFL and NBA players through a broken window or by using a crowbar to pry open a sliding door.
The complaint details several break-ins, including one during the Ravens-Bucs game on Oct. 21, 2024, in Tampa at the home of a Bucs player who was not identified by name. Prosecutors said $167,000 worth of property was stolen, including jewelry, designer watches, a luxury suitcase, and a gun.
Earlier that month, burglaries at the homes of three Kansas City Chiefs players were reported in Missouri. Those players are also not named in the indictment, but previous media reports identified two of the players as Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce.
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A Cincinnati Bengals player was targeted, as well, according to the complaint, with FOX News and other media outlets reporting in December that the home belongs to quarterback Joe Burrow.
Prosecutors said the thieves also broke into the homes of two NBA players: one from the Milwaukee Bucks, previously identified by FOX6 News Milwaukee as Bobby Portis, and another from the Memphis Grizzlies.
The DOJ released a photo they say shows some of the suspects, along with another person, posing with a stolen safe and jewelry belonging to Portis after the Wisconsin break-in on Nov. 2, 2024.
Federal prosecutors say this photo was taken after thieves burglarized the home of a Milwaukee Bucks player in Wisconsin. (Courtesy: U.S. Department of Justice.)
In total, the group is accused of stealing valuables worth more than $2 million.
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The suspects
The DOJ identified the seven suspects 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
- Sergio Ortega Cabello, 38
Prosecutors said at least one suspect lives in the Middle District of Florida, but no further details were given in the complaint.
What's next:
If convicted, each suspect faces up to 10 years in federal prison.
The Source: This story was written using information from the U.S. Department of Justice and previous FOX News reports.
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