Authorities in Argentina have arrested two Chilean men previously charged by the US Justice Department in connection with a series of burglaries targeting American athletes. Ignacio Zuniga Cartes and Bastian Jimenez Freraut were taken into custody as part of a larger group accused of burgling the home of Argentine tennis legend Juan Martin Del Potro, according to the newspaper Clarin.
Details of the Arrest
Cartes and Freraut were booked earlier this month for stealing jewelry, medals, and rackets from Del Potro's residence in Tandil. Investigators identified the accused burglars through a traffic ticket issued in Buenos Aires the day before the robbery occurred.
Connection to US Athlete Burglaries
The two men are believed to be part of a South American crime ring responsible for breaking into the homes of Kansas City Chiefs stars Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, and NBA player Bobby Portis. The robbers timed their hits to coincide with away games, stealing watches, cash, jewelry, and other luxury goods totaling over $3.5 million, per the Justice Department.
Investigation and Evidence
Del Potro's mother contacted authorities after arriving at his home on May 15 while her son was away. Police retrieved video footage of a five-man crew traveling in a Chevrolet Astra near the crime scene, with Cartes identified as the driver. A speeding ticket helped track down those involved. All five suspects are being held in Tandil as interrogations continue and international authorities collaborate with the Argentine government over the 2024-25 robberies.
Investigators found that DNA taken from Freraut, who had a cut when detained, matched DNA recovered from the robbed homes of the American athletes. The US robberies occurred on days when the stars were away—Mahomes and Kelce's homes were ransacked on back-to-back days while they played the New Orleans Saints, Burrow's house was robbed while he was in Dallas, and Portis was returning from a home game in Milwaukee. Investigators say the men would travel to each player's home city, rent a car and a hotel, and wait for them to leave for games before breaking in.
