Seven men have been charged by federal prosecutors for their involvement in a series of burglaries targeting the homes of well-known professional athletes.
The men, aged 20 to 38 and from Chile, are part of a South American theft ring accused of stealing over $2 million in valuables. They face charges of conspiracy to transport stolen property, which could lead to up to 10 years in prison.
One striking detail from the complaint is a photo of three suspects with stolen items, including a safe and jewelry taken from Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis. In November, Portis had shared on social media that he’d been robbed and sought help from fans.
The FBI has linked these men to additional burglaries involving other high-profile athletes, such as Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce. There are also unconfirmed reports of thefts involving players from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Memphis Grizzlies.
In a separate case, three of the suspects are facing charges from a federal grand jury for breaking into the home of Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow.
Last year, the FBI alerted sports leagues about these criminal organizations, indicating that athletes’ homes were particularly at risk because of the assumption they contained valuable assets.
