A brazen crime ring targeting star athletes has been busted, with seven Chilean men charged in a string of high-profile burglaries that netted more than $2 million in stolen valuables.
The suspects didn’t just rob houses – they were bold enough to take selfies with their loot. In one photo obtained by investigators, three of the men posed proudly with a safe and jewelry they allegedly stole from Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis.
“This is a place I’ve considered home,” Portis said in an emotional video posted after the break-in. “While I was at my game yesterday, I had a home invasion, and they took most of my prized possessions.”
But Portis wasn’t the only star athlete hit by the crew.
The FBI says the group also targeted Kansas City Chiefs superstars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, along with players from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Memphis Grizzlies.
In one brazen October heist at a Bucs player’s Tampa home, the thieves made off with luxury watches, designer jewelry, an expensive suitcase, and even a gun.
The crime spree stretched across multiple states, with three of the suspects also facing charges for breaking into Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow’s home.
The FBI had actually warned sports leagues about these types of targeted burglaries last year. Athletes make tempting targets because criminals figure they own expensive stuff and their game schedules are public – making it easy to know when they’re away.
The seven suspects, ranging in age from 20 to 38, were part of what authorities call a “South American theft group.” They’re now charged with conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property.
If convicted, each faces up to 10 years in federal prison.
The accused thieves are:
– 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
