Back on October 6, 2024, a break-in occurred at Patrick Mahomes‘ residence. It was shortly after midnight. And just the next day, the same happened to his teammate, Travis Kelce. While nobody was hurt in either of the instances, the fact that public figures were specifically targeted caused an alarm. Since then, authorities have been hunting down the culprits.

As per the latest update from ABC News, “Three purported members of a South American theft group that allegedly targeted the homes of professional athletes in the United States were arrested in Argentina, authorities said.”

According to a report from The Clarín, which is an Argentine newspaper, investigators were able to track the suspects after uncovering a traffic citation that had been issued to them in Buenos Aires. The three men taken into custody are Chilean citizens who were already being searched for in the United States on federal charges connected to the burglaries of Mahomes and Kelce’s homes. But things don’t end here.

Argentine investigators say the case stretches beyond the burglaries tied to the NFL players. According to reports, two of the accused, Ignacio Zuniga Cartes and Bastian Jimenez Freraut, were also taken into custody for their alleged involvement in another break-in that took place earlier this month at the residence of former tennis star Juan Martín del Potro. However, the third man arrested had nothing to do with the Martín del Potro incident.

“These individuals will face justice in the United States or Argentina,” Enrique Gutierrez, the Commissioner of Chilean Interpol, said in a video by AFP News. “They had no significant criminal record in Chile, having specialised in robberies outside our borders.”

Joe Burrow was also among the athletes allegedly targeted by the burglary ring, according to federal prosecutors.

Ignacio Zuniga Cartes, Bastian Jimenez Freraut, and Pablo Zuniga Cartes were apprehended by Argentine authorities, ABC News reported. However, it wasn’t a three-man gang. The three are a part of the seven defendants who were charged in a federal complaint in 2025. According to the complaint, they were conspiring for interstate transportation of the stolen goods interstate after targeting professional NBA and NFL athletes around the country. And the goods amounted to more than $2 million. 

The federal complaint also had a picture of the three apprehended culprits, along with a fourth unidentified man posing beside a broken safe and stolen jewelry. That safe belonged to the Milwaukee Bucks’ Bobby Portis. And the photograph dates back to November 2024. The thieves broke open the safe and stole several luxury watches, chains, jewelry, and some cash. 

A Tampa Bay Buccaneers player was also their target

According to another complaint from October 2024, the thieves broke into a Tampa Bay Buccaneers player’s home during their game against the Baltimore Ravens. And the stolen goods amounted to $167,000. That same group, later in December 2024, targeted a Memphis Grizzlies’ player’s home while the player was away for a game. 

As per that complaint, the perpetrators had a “clear and consistent modus operandi.” Their operations began with target identification. And that was based mostly on publicly available information around their schedules and locations. When the players were away from their homes, the burglars would break in through a window or pry the doors open using a crowbar. The officials also found out that the group rented cars in Florida, which were found in the burglary locality. 

In the past couple of years, as the officials investigated the thefts of Mahomes’ and Kelce’s houses, they concluded that the robberies were sophisticated. Mike Barbieri, a security expert, claimed in 2024 that such cases often involve people in the construction or service work for the targeted houses. 

What did the burglars steal from Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes’ homes?

The burglars broke into the Kansas City Chiefs’ tight end’s Leawood mansion from the back door while he was away for a Monday Night Football game. As per reports, Kelce lost about $20,000 in cash and $100,000 worth of jewelry. They also took his first Super Bowl jersey. With the right buyer, that would have gotten them quite a bit of money. 

Meanwhile, Mahomes hasn’t released the itemized list to the public. But he did lose memorabilia like jerseys, trophies, and medals. And the Chiefs quarterback was certainly frustrated with the theft. 

“It’s frustrating; it’s disappointing,” Mahomes said after the burglary. “I can’t get into too many of the details because the investigation is ongoing. But obviously it’s something you don’t want to happen to anybody, obviously yourself.” 

In 2025,  seven Chilean nationals were formally charged in connection with the burglary investigation: Pablo Zuniga Cartes, 24; Ignacio Zuniga Cartes, 20; Bastian Jimenez Freraut, 27; Jordan Quiroga Sanchez, 22; Bastian Orellano Morales, 23; Alexander Huiaguil Chavez, 24; and Sergio Ortega Cabello, 38.

They were all charged with planning to commit interstate transportation of stolen property.