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Three individuals accused of targeting the homes of prominent athletes have been apprehended, authorities announced on Tuesday (May 26). Two suspects were detained in Argentina over the weekend following a break-in at former tennis star Juan Martin del Potro's residence, which led investigators to a third suspect. These individuals are allegedly connected to a series of high-profile burglaries involving athletes such as Kansas City Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, and Los Angeles Lakers All-Star Luka Doncic during 2024 and 2025. The FBI estimates that approximately $2 million in valuables were stolen.
The suspects are currently held in Chile, awaiting potential extradition. According to ESPN, the gang, composed of seven Chilean nationals, used sophisticated methods to execute the burglaries. They utilized fake IDs, rented vehicles, and burner phones to avoid detection. However, their downfall came when they posted incriminating selfies with stolen items to an iCloud account, which the FBI accessed with a warrant.
The criminal complaint details the gang's strategy of monitoring athletes' schedules and security patterns to carry out the burglaries while the athletes were away for games. In one instance, the burglars stole over $1.5 million in valuables from the home of Milwaukee Bucks player Bobby Portis.
The suspects face charges of conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property, which could result in up to 10 years in prison. The case has prompted the FBI to issue warnings to sports leagues about the targeting of athletes' homes. The FBI advised athletes to avoid sharing real-time locations on social media and to secure their valuables.