Burglary of Joe Burrow's home is linked to a pattern of 'crime tourism,' FBI says

The recent burglary of Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow's mansion is part of a wave of "crime tourism," in which international burglary teams travel across the U.S. to steal from homes in affluent areas, according to the Justice Department.
Feb 16 / NPR
The recent burglary of Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow's mansion is part of a wave of "crime tourism," in which international burglary teams travel across the U.S. to steal from homes in affluent areas, according to the Justice Department.Large text.

Last week, a federal court unsealed a January indictment charging two men with operating a large jewelry fencing operation in New York City.

The indictment alleged the defendants were "fences" for South American burglary crews who roved the U.S. targeting wealthy neighborhoods and provided "an essential market for the stolen goods" between 2020 and 2025. One of the men had been in contact with suspects in the burglary of a high-profile athlete in Ohio last December, a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York stated.

An FBI special agent who investigated the Burrow burglary said it "was consistent with burglaries executed by South American Theft Groups (SATG)," according to an affidavit.

Law enforcement agencies across the country, FBI Special Agent Aaron Bauder wrote, "have had burglaries that fit the SATG M.O. wherein professional athletes were the victims."

"The SATG M.O. for residential burglaries include targeting high-end houses that back up to green spaces, walking trails, golf courses, or other undeveloped land," Bauder wrote. "They then gain access to the residence through a rear window or glass door, on the second floor when possible."

The thieves focus on jewelry and designer accessories, which are typically sold through illegal fences along the coasts, in states such as New York, California, and Florida, he said.

"The groups usually consist of foreign nationals from South America who either enter the country illegally or overstay on visas to continue committing their crimes," Bauder wrote. "SATG's often travel using rental vehicles and will carry false identifications and documents," he said, adding that the groups routinely activate and de-activate cellphones, sometimes in less than a month.

In the Burrow case, the suspects allegedly carried bogus ID cards purportedly from Argentina and other countries, and bearing false names, according to the affidavit.

The burglaries are part of a wave of crime tourism. The FBI has a nationwide working group devoted to South American Theft Groups; the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation formed a task force to address them last March.

The FBI has issued tips for minimizing the chances of being victimized by the crime gangs, including avoiding saying on social media that you're on vacation. The agency has also specifically warned pro sports leagues that athletes could be targeted, according to ABC News, which first reported the development.

Much of the focus of the theft rings is on Chile, due in part to its 2014 inclusion in the U.S. Visa Waiver Program that lets foreign citizens visit the U.S. for up to 90 days without a visa. Chile remains the only South American country on the U.S. visa waiver list.

In 2023, members of Congress from California wrote to Chile's ambassador to the U.S., saying they had "strong concerns" that the Chilean government wasn't doing enough to prevent criminals from traveling to the U.S. In just one year, they said, "14 Chilean nationals have been charged with burglaries and other related crimes in Orange County after entering the United States under the [visa waiver program]."

Similar concerns have been raised in Michigan, where state lawmakers said that in 2023, "multiple Chilean nationals who had entered the country under the Visa Waiver Program were arrested for stealing millions of dollars' worth of goods in [Michigan's] Oakland County area."

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