Chilean Thieves Who Targeted Homes of Prominent U.S. Athletes, Including Travis Kelce, Apprehended

Two Chilean nationals have been implicated in a string of high-profile home burglaries involving prominent US athletes, including NFL icons Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes, during the years 2024 and 2025. These individuals, part of a criminal network, were recently apprehended for their involvement in a robbery at the residence of former Argentine tennis star Juan Martín Del Potro.

The suspects, Ignacio Zuñiga Cartes and Bastián Jiménez Freraut, both 23, were detained earlier this month. They stand accused of making off with valuable items such as jewelry, medals, and rackets from Del Potro’s home in Tandil, Argentina. This incident marks yet another chapter in their criminal escapades.

Their arrest was facilitated by a crucial piece of evidence—a traffic ticket issued in Buenos Aires just a day before the May 15 heist. This discovery, reported by the Argentine newspaper Clarín, led investigators to connect the dots and unveil the broader criminal activities of Cartes and Freraut.

Further investigation revealed that these individuals are part of a South American theft ring, notorious for targeting the homes of eminent US sports figures. Their victims reportedly include NFL quarterbacks Mahomes and Joe Burrow, NBA player Bobby Portis, and Kansas City Chiefs star Kelce, who is also engaged to pop music sensation Taylor Swift.

The crime ring’s modus operandi involved timing their burglaries to coincide with the athletes’ absence during away games. This strategic planning allowed them to ransack homes, pilfering luxury items such as watches, cash, and jewelry. The total value of the stolen goods has been estimated at over $3.5 million, according to reports from the Justice Department.

The alert was first raised by Del Potro’s mother, who contacted authorities upon discovering the break-in at the Tandil residence while her son was away. This swift action helped initiate the investigation that ultimately led to the arrest of the two Chilean suspects.

Investigators then caught video of the five-men crew — consisting of two more Chilean nationals and an Argentinian — traveling in a Chevrolet Astra near the crime scene.  

Cartes was identified as the driver, and a speeding ticket from the day before helped track the crew down. 

Prosecutors noted that DNA taken from Freraut, who had a cut at the time he was detained, matched the DNA taken from the robbed US athletes’ homes. 

The string of thefts made headlines in 2024 when Kelce and Mahomes’ homes were both ransacked on consecutive days. 

The robberies occurred just as the athletes were scheduled to play the New Orleans Saints. 

Investigators claimed the men would travel to the players’ hometowns, rent a hotel and car, and wait for the sports stars to leave for major games before breaking and entering, Clarín reported.  

Along with Cartes and Freraut, police arrested Chileans Rodolfo Cartes Escobar, 35 and Alfredo Espinosa Gallardo, 23, and Argentinian Walter D’Amelo, 39. 

The suspects are currently being held in Tandil as investigators continue to interrogate the men and look to work with international authorities over the charges from the 2024-2025 robberies.