Grizzlies Superstar Ja Morant Was Targeted As Part Of Crime Spree, Lost Goods Totaling $1 Million

Ja Morant was identified as the unnamed Memphis Grizzlies player whose home was burglarized in December 2024. According to reports, a group of Chilean nationals targeting professional athletes across the U.S. is believed to be responsible.

Morant reportedly lost $1 million worth of jewelry and other luxury items, as detailed by TMZ.

Like other athletes targeted by this group, Morant’s home was broken into while the Grizzlies star was away from his residence and playing a game — taking on the Golden State Warriors at FedEx Forum at the time.

Grizzlies Superstar Ja Morant Was Targeted As Part Of Crime Spree. Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

Morant joins a growing list of prominent athletes victimized by these burglars, including an unnamed Tampa Bay Buccaneers player, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, his teammate Travis Kelce, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, and others.

Authorities have arrested seven Chilean nationals in connection with the burglaries. 

The men are named: 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.

Three of the illegal migrants, believed to be part of a South American gang, took selfies while burglarizing the homes of Mahomes and Burrow. Additional photos linked the Chilean migrants to the November 2024 break-in at Milwaukee Bucks player Bobby Portis’ home. Portis offered $40,000 for information on the burglars at the time.

In a legal complaint filed against the suspects, Morant was identified as "Professional Athlete 6."

"On December 20, 2024, at approximately 4:00 PM, deputies responded to a residence in unincorporated Shelby County following a reported burglary at the home of a Memphis Grizzlies player," a sheriff's office statement read (via TMZ). "Detectives are actively investigating the case, pursuing leads, and working to identify those responsible."

Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce had their homes broken into. (Getty Images)

The wave of burglaries prompted an FBI investigation into a trend targeting professional athletes. 

One common thread in the robberies is that they often occur during games. 

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow. (Photo by Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

In the cases of the Chiefs players and Burrow, their homes were broken into while they were playing ‘away’ games. 

Reactions across the NFL have varied as news of the robberies spreads. 

Across sports, athletes are losing valuables worth millions. LAFC forward Olivier Giroud, and NBA stars Luka Doncic and Mike Conley, Jr. have suffered break-ins at their homes. 

Players like Tua Tagovailoa are enhancing their home security, hiring armed guards for protection. Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott also vowed to beef up his security, particularly after his fiancée, Sarah Jane Ramos, had her car broken into on her way to yoga. 

The FBI has urged athletes to stop posting their whereabouts on social media, warning that it makes them prime targets for thieves.

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