The Federal Bureau of Investigation announced Friday that it has launched a nationwide operation to investigate a burglary ring targeting the homes of professional athletes across the United States.
According to the FBI, the criminal enterprise is believed to be organized by South American Theft Groups (SATGs) who are taking advantage of the public nature of athletes’ schedules to find opportune times for break-ins.
The announcement comes just days before the NFL Super Bowl, scheduled for Sunday in New Orleans, where the Kansas City Chiefs will face the Philadelphia Eagles.
Two individuals were arrested for allegedly operating an East Coast resale network for stolen goods. Additionally, a federal grand jury in Cincinnati has indicted three suspects allegedly connected to the theft ring, charging them with interstate transportation of stolen property and falsifying records in a federal investigation, according to the FBI.
The investigation follows a November warning from the FBI to the NBA of home burglaries targeting professional athletes and high-net-worth individuals, which officials said might be linked to sophisticated, transnational theft rings.
According to an NBA memo obtained by Reuters, the FBI briefed the league on the connection between many of the home burglaries and SATGs. The memo described these groups as “well-organized, sophisticated rings that incorporate advanced techniques and technologies, including pre-surveillance, drones, and signal jamming devices.”
In their latest announcement, the FBI’s Acting Director, Brian J. Driscoll, Jr. said the agency is committed to addressing the issue.
“The FBI has spearheaded an initiative targeting South American Theft Groups by combining our nationwide resources and collaborating with our valued law enforcement partners to link commonalities and suspects of cases across the country,” Driscoll said.
The FBI’s investigation alleged that these theft groups not only target athletes but also jewelry salespeople transporting inventory. The criminals often utilize “fences”—individuals or businesses that knowingly purchase and resell stolen goods—to liquidate their stolen goods, sometimes sending items to Chile or Colombia.
As part of the ongoing operation, the FBI, in coordination with its Cincinnati, Newark, and New York field offices, arrested Dimitriy “Russo” Nezhinskiy and Juan Villar in Manhattan’s Diamond District. The pair are accused of running a major East Coast “fence” operation.
The agency is urging the public to report any suspected SATG activity through their online tip system at tips.fbi.gov. The FBI assures that tips can be submitted anonymously.
