Latest news with #IgnacioZunigaCartes
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
7 Chileans accused of stealing $2 million from homes of Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Joe Burrow
Seven Chilean nationals have been charged with conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property after they allegedly broke in and stole property worth more than $2 million from the homes of professional athletes. According to a federal criminal complaint unsealed Tuesday in Tampa, Fla., the defendants have been targeting athletes in the United States since October, executing well-planned burglaries of their homes while they competed in games. If convicted, the defendants each face a maximum of 10 years in prison. The suspects apparently couldn't keep from incriminating themselves, however. Three of those charged — Pablo Zuniga Cartes, 24, Ignacio Zuniga Cartes, 20, and Bastian Jimenez Freraut, 27 — are in a photo preening next to a safe containing watches, chains, jewelry, designer bags and cash stolen from the Wisconsin home of Milwaukee Bucks player Bobby Portis. The value of property stolen was approximately $1.484 million, according to the complaint. Dodgers, Rams and LAFC players have been among those targeted, but it's unclear if those break-ins are connected to other organized South American theft groups. The home of LAFC striker Olivier Giroud was the target of a burglary earlier this month, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Police said they responded Feb. 5 to a report of a smashed upstairs window and the burglary. Law enforcement sources told The Times that half a million dollars worth of items were taken from the house, including expensive watches. The Los Angeles homes of Dodgers infielders Max Muncy and Freddie Freeman were burglarized in 2023. Muncy's home was broken into by two suspects while he and his family were at Dodger Stadium. Freeman's home also was burglarized while he was away. Read more: Pro athletes' homes are being targeted by South American organized theft rings, FBI says Thieves took an estimated $30,000 worth of jewelry from Luka Doncic's home in Dallas while he was on the road Dec. 30 before the superstar guard was traded to the Lakers by the Mavericks. And the Medina, Minn., home of Mike Conley Jr. was burglarized while the guard was playing in a game with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Although the names of victims were omitted from the federal complaint, the dates and locations of the burglaries line up with several high-profile thefts that have been reported. The homes of Kansas City Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce were burglarized of jewelry, watches, cash and other luxury merchandise Oct. 5 and 7. The second burglary occurred while the team played a game. Also detailed in the complaint, the home of a Tampa Bay Buccaneers player was burglarized while the team played a home game. Jewelry and a firearm were stolen. Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow had his Anderson Township, Ohio, home broken into Dec. 9 while at a game in Dallas. The complaint notes the date of a burglary at a "Cincinnati player's home" as Dec. 9. In an earlier court filing, some of the same defendants were charged with stealing $300,000 worth of designer luggage, watches and jewelry from Burrow's house. Read more: Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban's L.A. home is ransacked Photos showed one suspect wearing a gaudy necklace with Burrow's No. 9 jersey number. Sergio Ortega Cabello, 38, rented a car in Florida with a fraudulent Argentinean ID and allegedly used it in the burglary, according to prosecutors. A federal grand jury in Cincinnati on Feb. 5 charged Cabello, Jordan Quiroga Sanchez, 22, and Bastian Orellano Morales, 23, with transporting stolen goods interstate and falsifying records in a federal investigation in connection with the Burrows burglary. "Our investigation remains ongoing as these individuals seem to be the alleged tip of the iceberg of South American Theft Groups committing crimes throughout our district and elsewhere,' U.S. Atty. Kenneth L. Parker said after the charges were filed. 'We owe it to the victims, whether they are or are not professional athletes, to follow the evidence into these alleged criminal networks and hold the law-breakers accountable. "I cannot thank our law enforcement partners enough for their commitment to working together to track down these perpetrators. Today is a day that law enforcement scored and spiked the ball.' The string of thefts prompted the FBI to issue a warning to sports leagues noting that crime groups are targeting athletes' homes in pursuit of cash and valuables. The FBI bulletin said that members of criminal gangs 'conduct physical and technical surveillance in preparation for these burglaries. 'Organized theft groups bypass alarm systems, use Wi-Fi jammers to block Wi-Fi connections and disable devices, cover security cameras, and obfuscate their identities,' the FBI bulletin continued. Read more: Sophisticated 'burglary tourists' fly from South America to rob wealthy homes, LAPD says In a warning the NFL issued to players in November, the league said thieves 'appear to exploit team schedules to target athletes' homes on game days.' Players were advised to avoid sharing their location on social media in real time, and to ensure that their valuables could not be viewed from outside their home, according to The warning shared in the recent FBI report echoed this advice and also recommended that athletes keep a close inventory of their valuables and refrain from sharing pictures of the interior of their homes on social media. In addition to Pablo Zuniga Cartes, Ignacio Zuniga Cartes, Cabello, Freraut, Sanchez and Morales, Alexander Huiaguil Chavez, 24, was charged as part of the South American theft group. Times staff writer Richard Winton contributed to this report. Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Yahoo
Suspects charged in connection to burglaries of several pro athletes
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (WDAF) — Seven Chilean nationals face federal charges related to the burglaries of several high-profile athletes' homes. The indictment was unsealed in Tampa, Florida, on Tuesday. The suspects have been identified as 24-year-old Pablo Zuniga Cartes, 20-year-old Ignacio Zuniga Cartes, 27-year-old Bastian Jimenez Freraut, 22-year-old Jordan Quiroga Sanchez, 23-year-old Bastian Orellano Morales, 24-year-old Alexander Huiaguil Chavez and 38-year-old Sergio Ortega Cabello. All the suspects face charges of conspiracy to transport stolen property. 2 arrested in connection to string of high-end burglaries, including one at Joe Burrow's home According to the complaint, the suspects were members of a South American theft group that burglarized the homes of professional athletes around the country, allegedly stealing valuables worth over $2 million. The photo, seen further down in this story, from the U.S. Attorney in Tampa shows some of the suspects wearing Chiefs clothing and jewelry while posing with a safe. While a press release did not identify the athletes that were targeted, authorities said the homes of two Chiefs players were burglarized on October 5 and 7. Burglaries were reported at the homes of quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce on those days. The complaint also accused the group of targeting the home of a Tampa Bay Buccaneers player in late October, taking jewelry, designer watches, a luxury suitcase, and a firearm. That player has not yet been identified. Authorities have also accused the group of burglarizing the home of a Milwaukee Bucks player while he was playing in an early November game. During that same time, Bucks player Bobby Portis said his home had been burglarized. Prosecutors allege the suspects took 'a safe containing several watches, chains, personal items, jewelry, and cash, along with a designer suitcase and designer bags,' worth a total of $1.484 million. Three suspects — Pablo Zuniga Cartes, Ignacio Zuniga Cartes, Bastian Jimenez Freraut — and a fourth person then took the photo, seen below, with the safe and jewelry, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Authorities say the suspects were also connected to the burglaries at the homes of Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow in early December and of a Memphis Grizzlies player who has not been identified. The values of the items stolen from these homes totalled about $300,000 and $1 million, respectively. Earlier this month, two people were arrested in connection to numerous burglaries 'targeting wealthier neighborhoods.' Dimitriy Nezhinskiy, 43, of North Bergen, New Jersey, and Juan Villar, 48, of Queens, were accused of receiving luxury items from burglaries conducted across multiple states and perpetuating the sale of the stolen items, Nexstar's WPIX reported. Phone records and video surveillance connect Nezhinskiy to members of a crew suspected of burglarizing the home of a high-profile athlete in Ohio on Dec. 9, 2024. That's the same day Burrow's home was reportedly broken into while he and the Bengals were playing in Dallas. Court documents do not explicitly identify Burrow as a victim of the thefts, but authorities referenced previous news coverage of four men being arrested in connection to that burglary. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Los Angeles Times
19-02-2025
- Los Angeles Times
7 Chileans accused of stealing $2 million from homes of Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Joe Burrow
Seven Chilean nationals have been charged with conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property after they allegedly broke in and stole property worth more than $2 million from the homes of professional athletes. According to a federal criminal complaint unsealed Tuesday in Tampa, Fla., the defendants have been targeting athletes in the U.S. since October, executing well-planned burglaries of their homes while they competed in games. If convicted, the defendants each face a maximum of 10 years in prison. The burglars apparently couldn't keep from incriminating themselves, however. Three of those charged — Pablo Zuniga Cartes, 24, Ignacio Zuniga Cartes, 20, and Bastian Jimenez Freraut, 27 — are in a photo preening next to a safe containing watches, chains, jewelry, designer bags and cash stolen from the Wisconsin home of Milwaukee Bucks player Bobby Portis. The value of property stolen was approximately $1.484 million, according to the complaint. Dodgers, Rams and LAFC players have been among those targeted, but it's unclear if those break-ins are connected to other organized South American theft groups. The home of LAFC striker Olivier Giroud was the target of a burglary earlier this month, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Police said they responded Feb. 5 to a report of a smashed upstairs window and the burglary. Law enforcement sources told The Times that half a million dollars worth of items were taken from the house, including expensive watches. The Los Angeles homes of Dodgers infielders Max Muncy and Freddie Freeman were burglarized in 2023. Muncy's home was broken into by two suspects while he and his family were at Dodger Stadium. Freeman's home also was burglarized while he was away. Thieves took an estimated $30,000 worth of jewelry from Luka Doncic's home in Dallas while he was on the road Dec. 30 before the superstar guard was traded to the Lakers by the Mavericks. And the Medina, Minn., home of Mike Conley Jr. was burglarized while the guard was playing in a game with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Although the names of victims were omitted from the federal complaint, the dates and locations of the burglaries line up with several high-profile thefts that have been reported. The homes of Kansas City Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce were burglarized of jewelry, watches, cash and other luxury merchandise Oct. 5 and 7. The second burglary occurred while the team played a game. Also detailed in the complaint, the home of a Tampa Bay Buccaneers player was burglarized while the team played a home game. Jewelry and a firearm were stolen. Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow had his Anderson Township, Ohio, home broken into Dec. 9 while at a game in Dallas. The complaint notes the date of a burglary at a 'Cincinnati player's home' as Dec. 9. In an earlier court filing, some of the same defendants were charged with stealing $300,000 worth of designer luggage, watches and jewelry from Burrow's house. Photos showed one suspect wearing a gaudy necklace with Burrow's No. 9 jersey number. Sergio Ortega Cabello, 38, rented a car in Florida with a fraudulent Argentinean ID and allegedly used it in the burglary, according to prosecutors. A federal grand jury in Cincinnati on Feb. 5 charged Cabello, Jordan Quiroga Sanchez, 22, and Bastian Orellano Morales, 23, with transporting stolen goods interstate and falsifying records in a federal investigation in connection with the Burrows burglary. 'Our investigation remains ongoing as these individuals seem to be the alleged tip of the iceberg of South American Theft Groups committing crimes throughout our district and elsewhere,' U.S. Atty. Kenneth L. Parker said after the charges were filed. 'We owe it to the victims, whether they are or are not professional athletes, to follow the evidence into these alleged criminal networks and hold the law-breakers accountable. 'I cannot thank our law enforcement partners enough for their commitment to working together to track down these perpetrators. Today is a day that law enforcement scored and spiked the ball.' The string of thefts prompted the FBI to issue a warning to sports leagues noting that crime groups are targeting athletes' homes in pursuit of cash and valuables. The FBI bulletin said that members of criminal gangs 'conduct physical and technical surveillance in preparation for these burglaries. 'Organized theft groups bypass alarm systems, use Wi-Fi jammers to block Wi-Fi connections and disable devices, cover security cameras, and obfuscate their identities,' the FBI bulletin continued. In a warning the NFL issued to players in November, the league said thieves 'appear to exploit team schedules to target athletes' homes on game days.' Players were advised to avoid sharing their location on social media in real time, and to ensure that their valuables could not be viewed from outside their home, according to The warning shared in the recent FBI report echoed this advice and also recommended that athletes keep a close inventory of their valuables and refrain from sharing pictures of the interior of their homes on social media. In addition to Pablo Zuniga Cartes, Ignacio Zuniga Cartes, Cabello, Freraut, Sanchez and Morales, Alexander Huiaguil Chavez, 24, was charged as part of the South American theft group. Times staff writer Richard Winton contributed to this report.
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Yahoo
Seven Chileans charged in multi-million dollar burglaries of NFL and NBA player homes
Feb. 19 (UPI) -- Seven people federal prosecutors said are members of a South American theft group were charged Tuesday with allegedly burglarizing the homes of several professional athletes. The U.S. Department of Justice said Chilean nationals 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; were charged in the case. The Justice Department said the suspects "were members of a South American Theft Group that burglarized the homes of professional athletes around the country." They were charged with conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property and each faces a maximum 10 years in prison if convicted. "These individuals targeted high-profile athletes in the National Football League and National Basketball Association, all of whom were away or playing in professional games at the times of the burglaries. These individuals stole valuables worth over $2 million," the Justice Department said. The suspects burglarized the homes of Kansas City Chiefs players Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce in October 2024, taking jewelry, watches, cash and other luxury merchandise, the Justice Department added. A Milwaukee Bucks player in November 2024 where a safe was stolen holding property worth $1.484 million. In December 2024, the theft group allegedly hit a Cincinnati Bengal player's house for about $300,000 in merchandise and a Memphis Grizzlies player home was burglarized for about $1 million in jewelry, watches and luxury bags. The FBI said Feb. 8 it was investigating South American theft groups it claimed were stealing from athlete homes as well as targeting jewelry stores and salespeople. The FBI said the group often targeted pro athletes. Since the fall of 2024, the FBI has warned NFL and NBA athletes about burglars targeting their homes. Law enforcement coast-to-coast have investigated cases believed to have involved South American criminal gangs. In the criminal complaint charging the Chileans, an FBI Special Agent noted that a photo of the alleged burglars depicts one of them wearing a Kansas City Chiefs jersey. "Also of note is that P. Zuniga Cartes is wearing a Kansas City Chiefs shirt in the photo," the agent said in the criminal complaint. He added wearing the shirt was believed to be a reference to the Oct. 2024 burglaries of Mahomes and Kelce.
New York Times
19-02-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Seven men charged for alleged roles in robberies targeting Burrow, Mahomes, other athletes' homes
Federal prosecutors have charged seven Chilean men for their alleged roles in a string of high-profile robberies targeting the homes of professional athletes. The individuals — Pablo Zuniga Cartes, Ignacio Zuniga Cartes, Bastian Jimenez Freraut, Jordan Quiroga Sanchez, Bastian Orellano Morales, Alexander Huiaguil Chavez, and Sergio Ortega Cabello — are members of a South American Theft Group, according to a criminal complaint unsealed in Tampa on Tuesday. The group members range in age from 20 to 38. They were charged with conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property, according to the complaint. Advertisement Each person faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. The group allegedly stole valuables worth over $2 million from athletes' homes while they were away or playing in games at the time of the invasions. The complaint includes a photo of three of the men — Pablo Zuniga Cartes, Ignacio Zuniga Cartes and Freraut — and a fourth individual whose identity is redacted posing with a damaged safe and several watches allegedly stolen from the home of Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis Jr. The photo is timestamped Nov. 2, 2024, according to the criminal complaint. The following day, Portis posted a video on X saying his home was burglarized the night before while he was playing in a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Portis also posted a video showing two people trying to enter his front door. The individuals were dressed in similar outfits and one of them carried a backpack. On Dec. 9, 2024, the home of Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow was robbed while the Bengals were playing the Dallas Cowboys in Texas. Items valued at around $300,000, including designer luggage, watches and jewelry, were stolen, per the complaint. Cabello rented a vehicle in South Florida with a fraudulent Argentinean ID and used the car in the burglary, the complaint said. On Feb. 5, a federal grand jury in Cincinnati charged Cabello, Sanchez and Morales in connection to the burglary of Burrow's home. Tuesday's complaint also links the group of Chilean men to home invasions of Kansas City Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce and players for the Memphis Grizzlies and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Earlier this month, the FBI announced it would spearhead a coordinated, nationwide operation to investigate burglaries targeting professional athletes. The FBI said members of South American Theft Groups (SATG) orchestrated the burglaries, and the bureau had arrested two men who they said ran East Coast operations to resell stolen goods. (Photo of Joe Burrow: Katie Stratman / Imagn Images)
