Chilean Theft Group Behind High-Profile Burglaries Of Professional Athletes, Feds Say

The Department of Justice (DOJ) charged seven Chilean nationals for their involvement in a nationwide theft operation targeting professional athletes.

Federal law enforcement is investigating a Chilean South American Theft Group (SATG) that meticulously targeted the homes of NFL and NBA athletes while they were busy playing professional games or otherwise away from their property, according to an unsealed indictment by the DOJ. Members of the SATG would enter athletes’ homes and steal jewelry, brand-name watches, money and other high-value merchandise.

Pablo Zuniga Cartes, Ignacio Zuniga Cartes, Bastian Jimenez Freraut, Jordan Quiroga Sanchez, Bastian Orellano Morales, Alexander Huiguil Chavez and Sergio Ortega Cabello, all Chilean nationals, were charged with conspiracy to commit transportation of stolen property, according to a DOJ press release. If convicted, each individual faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

Based out of Florida, the busted SATG kept track of athletes’ game schedules in order to know when they would be away, used throw phones to communicate and assigned different tasks to each member, according to court documents. Every burglary by the group included theft of merchandise and money that exceeded over $5,000 in value.

The seven Chilean nationals involved with the Florida-based SATG were incredibly active in the past several months, per accusations by federal authorities.

A Milwaukee Bucks player’s home was allegedly ransacked by the group on Nov. 2, where the men are accused of stealing a safe that contained several watches, jewelry and personal items and snatching a designer suitcase and designer bags, according to the DOJ. The total value of the stolen property was roughly $1.5 million.

The Chilean men allegedly robbed the home of a Memphis Grizzlies player between the late afternoon of Dec. 19 and Dec. 20 while the victim’s team was playing in Memphis, Tennessee, feds say. The total haul stolen was about $1 million in merchandise.