The Fulton County District Attorney's Office has indicted a gang of 26 people with alleged involvement in burglaries at homes of local celebrities. Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley and Atlanta United star Brad Guzan were among those allegedly burglarized by the group, per a report from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Fani Willis, the Fulton County District Attorney, explained that the homes had been scouted before the burglaries. Ridley's Atlanta residence was recently showcased on the YouTube channel Sports Mansions. Willis said the burglars can use social media to look for targets.
"Where it is kind of fun to put your things on social media and show it off, unfortunately these gangs have become more sophisticated, more savvy in how they target victims," Willis said.
In total, the indictment details 16 incidents since 2018, and the charges include attempted murder, home invasion, kidnapping, burglary, aggravated assault, theft by receiving, false imprisonment, and terroristic threats.
Ridley was supposed to be entering his fifth NFL season, but he has been suspended for at least the entirety of the 2022 season for betting on NFL games.
According to an investigation conducted by the NFL, Ridley was found to have gambled on games in November of 2021 while away from the Falcons while on the non-football illness list. Ridley reportedly placed several parlays that included the Falcons.
Ridley himself admitted to dropping $1,500 on the bets but has denied having a gambling problem.
Ridley was a first-round pick by the Falcons in the 2018 NFL Draft. Through four NFL seasons, Ridley established himself as a reliable target in the offense by catching 248 passes for 3,342 yards and 28 touchdowns.
