Chilean Gang Arrested for Athlete Home Thefts
Two men from Chile, Ignacio Zuniga Cartes and Bastian Jiménez Frero, face charges linked to a series of home burglaries targeting prominent American athletes during 2024 and 2025. This group was apprehended earlier this month following a break-in at the house of former Argentine tennis star Juan Martin del Potro.
Cartes and Frero, both 23, were accused of stealing valuable items, including jewelry and trophies, from del Potro’s residence in Tandil. Investigators managed to identify them through a traffic ticket issued in Buenos Aires just a day prior to the robbery on May 15, as reported by Argentine outlet “Clarín.”
According to authorities, the duo belonged to a larger South American criminal organization that targeted elite American athletes. Among those affected were NFL quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes and Joe Burrow, as well as NBA player Bobby Portis. It turns out they planned their heists while these athletes were out of town for games.
The U.S. Justice Department stated that, during these robberies, more than $3.5 million worth of luxury items such as watches and cash were stolen. The gang’s strategy appeared to involve trailing the players to their homes, renting cars and hotels, and then choosing the right moment to strike.
Del Potro’s mother raised the alarm upon arriving at her son’s home while he was away, prompting police action. Additionally, investigators captured footage of other gang members, including two more Chileans, as well as a local Argentinian, driving a vehicle near the scene shortly after the theft.
Cartes was singled out as the driver, and a speeding ticket helped lead authorities to him. Further, DNA collected from Frero, who sustained injuries during his arrest, matched samples taken from one of the players’ residences that was hit earlier.
Notably, in 2024, there were consecutive break-ins at both Kelce’s and Mahomes’ homes, coinciding with a game against the New Orleans Saints.
As investigations continued, detectives found that the suspects would often infiltrate the players’ neighborhoods, waiting in rented accommodations, and striking when the athletes were occupied with their commitments. Police have also arrested additional gang members, including Rodolfo Cartes Escobar, Alfredo Espinosa Gallardo, and Walter Damero, and efforts are ongoing to engage with international authorities in light of these crimes.
