Men Charged for Robbing Athletes’ Homes Revealed to Be Part of South American Theft Group: Report

Stephanie Scarbrough/AP

Seven men charged for their alleged roles in a string of burglaries at the homes of professional athletes are members of a South American theft group.

Professional athletes have been the targets of a number of robberies across the country in recent months. In October 2024, Kansas City Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce — as well as an unnamed player on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — reported break-ins. The next month, the home of Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis was broken into. In December, an unnamed Memphis Grizzlies player and Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow were targeted.

According to the complaint obtained by ABC News, the burglaries took place while the athletes were playing in games and away from their homes. The seven men are accused of stealing more than $2 million in valuables — including jewelry and cash — and face up to 10 years in prison if convicted. Three of them have also been charged in the incident involving Burrow.

The complaint also states that all seven men, ranging from ages 20 to 38, are from Chile. Included in the complaint was a photo of several of them posing with a safe that was taken from Portis’s home; and one of the men can be seen wearing a Chiefs shirt.