In a run of infamous ‘crime tourism’ events, federal charges in Florida have been leveled against seven men hailing from Chile. This group is linked to a string of burglaries that targeted the residences of six notable professional athletes scattered across the United States. The time frame of these offenses spans between October to December of the previous year. The court files remain deliberately ambiguous about the identities of the affected athletes, withholding any specific names.
Even though the court files don’t explicitly name the victims, clues within them allude to a series of burglaries impacting the homes of some NFL stars. Prominent athletes likely include Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs and Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals. Furthermore, players associated with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from the NFL and athletes from the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks and Memphis Grizzlies too, were reported to be affected, according to a supporting affidavit submitted as part of the federal criminal complaint.
The Middle District’s Prosecutors in Florida officially announced these charges on a Tuesday. This move compounds the already existing criminal charges this group of men is up against in state and federal courts in Ohio. The house of NFL player Joe Burrow, situated in Ohio, was also reportedly broken into in December.
Items stolen in these thefts are predominantly luxury objects such as racks filled with Rolex watches, assorted jewelry, and Louis Vuitton suitcases. In total, prosecutors assert the value of cash and stolen goods amasses to several million dollars. Precise estimates for each burglary remain undisclosed in the court documents.
To provide some context, a burglary involving a Milwaukee Bucks player in November resulted in theft of items estimated to be valued at about $1,484,000. Similarly, a Memphis Grizzlies player’s home was broken into in December, resulting in the loss of goods worth nearly $1 million.
The seven defendants facing charges include Pablo Zuniga Cartes, Ignacio Zuniga Cartes, Bastian Jimenez Freraut, Jordan Quiroga Sanchez, Bastian Orellano Morales, Alexander Huiaguil Chavez, and Sergio Ortego Cabello. According to the FBI, these men from Chile are potentially involved with a South American Theft Group, a term law enforcement agencies use to categorize small bands of thieves responsible for high-stake burglaries targeting upscale homes across the country.
The FBI suggests that these burglars generally enter the US unlawfully or overstay their visa durations. As illustrated in the cases involving professional athletes, these thieves are typically focused on absconding with luxury items and money. Their modus operandi aligns with the hallmark characteristics of ‘crime tourism’.
The federal complaint discloses an affidavit which outlines the investigative process that led to identifying these suspects. Law-enforcement authorities utilized data from cellphone towers and license plate readers to associate potential phone numbers and vehicles with the crime scenes. By acquiring search warrants, it became possible to access several Apple iCloud accounts connected to the suspects.
One account, allegedly owned by Cartes, was found to contain photos that featured him and others, seen with jewelry belonging to one of the victimized professional athletes. These images were uploaded within minutes after the burglary occurred, as per what the affidavit document states.
Law enforcement’s observation of ‘crime tourism’ techniques highlights the tactical method employed by these international burglary rings. Members operate by traversing across the United States primarily targeting homes in affluent neighborhoods. In order to carry out their nefarious activities, the criminals frequently rent vehicles using counterfeit IDs in Florida, reach the residence of an athlete they know is participating in a game and promptly commit the burglary.
During their illicit operations, the criminals believed to interchange temporary mobile phone accounts. This recent surge in public-profile burglaries has prompted critical examination of Chile’s standing in the Visa Waiver Program, which permits foreign nationals to enter the US without requiring a visa. Chile stands as the sole South American nation with VWP status.
When it comes to visa-free travel, a spokesperson for the embassy has shared that the U.S. Homeland Security has been enabled to access real-time criminal records of any individual applying for travel to the US. The measure was implemented from last September onwards. The results of the change have so far indicated an increase in Chileans with criminal backgrounds being denied visa-free entry into the U.S. due to their past misdemeanors.