Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Joe Burrow were just several of the big-name athletes whose homes were burglarized during the 2024 NFL season. Now, federal prosecutors have charged seven men — all of them alleged members of a South American crime syndicate — with hunting the star players’ valuables.
A federal complaint filed in Tampa, Florida, on Tuesday alleged that the men stole more than a combined $2 million in various items, according to ABC News, and face a maximum of 10 years in prison if convicted of conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property.
All but one of the seven men are under the age of 28, per the complaint, and all seven are natives of Chile, allegedly teaming up to target the homes of professional athletes while those players traveled for away games. Both Mahomes, the star Kansas City Chiefs quarterback; and Kelce, the team’s longtime tight end, had their homes burglarized while the team played the New Orleans Saints in October. Burrow, the Cincinnati Bengals quarterback, also had his Ohio home burglarized in December.
The federal complaint alleging the group’s crimes includes a photo of three of the alleged burglars posing with a safe and jewelry from a November burglary at the home of a Milwaukee Bucks player. One of the pictured men is wearing a Chiefs shirt.
The FBI also connected the South American crime group with an October burglary of an unnamed Tampa Bay Buccaneers player, according to ABC News.
