By Daniel Trotta, Reuters
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes after an AFC wild card playoff win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Photo: Photosport
US prosecutors have laid criminal charges against seven suspected members of a Chilean theft ring accused of breaking into the homes of professional athletes while they were playing games and stealing money, jewellery and luxury watches.
NFL stars Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs and Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals have acknowledged they were among the victims.
Chiefs player Travis Kelce, the boyfriend of pop star Taylor Swift, was also widely reported to have been a victim but he has not commented on it publicly.
A federal grand jury in Cincinnati had indicted three men two weeks ago in the Burrow case. Federal prosecutors in Florida have now filed a criminal complaint against those three men and four others, all Chilean nationals ranging in age from 22 to 38.
The FBI has been investigating a so-called Chilean South American Theft Group (SATC) for burglarising the homes of high-profile athletes of the National Football League, National Basketball Association and National Hockey League, stealing jewellery, expensive watch brands, cash and other high-value goods, according to the criminal complaint.
"The Chilean SATC is known to target high-profile professional athletes while they are known to be away from home," the complaint said.
The ring was highly organised, using temporary "throw phones" to avoid detection, and arranging fences to buy the stolen property, the complaint said.
Even so, investigators were able to track down the suspects using cellphone signals and capturing data. Prosecutors published a photo of the suspects posing with stolen merchandise after investigators armed with search warrants were able to track down images on Apple iCloud.
At least one of the break-ins occurred at the home of a Tampa Bay Buccaneers player in the Middle District of Florida, where the charges were filed.
Players with the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and Memphis Grizzlies were also targeted.
- Reuters
