CHILEAN NATIONALS FACE US EXTRADITION OVER MAHOMES AND KELCE BURGLARIES

U.S. federal prosecutors in Florida have formally requested that Argentina extradite two Chilean nationals to face charges connected to break-ins at the homes of Kansas City Chiefs players Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. The two men, identified as 21-year-old Ignacio Zúñiga Cartés and 28-year-old Bastián Jiménez Freraut, allegedly fled the United States following the burglaries and were later arrested in Buenos Aires in May after they were suspected of robbing the home of former Argentine tennis player Juan Martín del Potro. According to their defence attorney Florencia Barba, the extradition process has officially commenced.

The investigation began in October 2024 and remains ongoing. Federal authorities allege that Zúñiga Cartés and Jiménez Freraut were members of what they describe as "The South American Theft Group", a crew that authorities say deliberately monitored the travel schedules of professional athletes and targeted their homes whilst they were away for games. A photograph showing the suspects with stolen items assisted investigators in linking them to the burglary ring. Both men currently remain in custody in Argentina facing separate aggravated robbery charges related to the Del Potro break-in.

The extradition process may extend considerably. According to Barba, Argentine law may require their local case to be resolved before extradition can proceed, and she stated the overall process could take up to two years. The scope of the alleged burglary ring extends beyond the two Chiefs players.