Kansas City superfan ‘ChiefsAholic’ pleads guilty to charges for string of bank robberies
Xavier Babudar, known as the Kansas City Chiefs superfan “ChiefsAholic,” pleaded guilty in federal court Wednesday to three charges in connection with a string of robberies or attempted robberies at banks across seven states in 2022 and 2023.
Babudar, 29, pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering, one count of transporting stolen property across state lines and one count of bank robbery, federal prosecutors said in a news release.
A sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 10.
As part of his plea agreement, Babudar must pay at least $532,675 in restitution to victim financial institutions and also must forfeit property to the government, including an autographed painting of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, which was recovered by the FBI, prosecutors said.
“His violent crime spree across the Midwest and beyond traumatized bank employees and victimized financial institutions in seven states,” U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore said in a statement.
“The defendant tried to conceal hundreds of thousands of dollars in stolen cash by using it to gamble online and at casinos, but the odds caught up with him. With today’s conviction, he will be held accountable for the full scope of his criminal conduct, including his attempt to flee from justice.”
Babudar, who dressed in a wolf costume and was a popular figure on social media and at Chiefs games, had faced a long list of charges in U.S. District Court, including money laundering, bank theft and interstate transportation of stolen property counts.
Babudar’s attorney, Matthew Merryman, said in an email to The Star that his client had taken responsibility for his actions.
“Today was a big day for Xaviar Babudar. From the beginning of this case the Government has been blitzing. And Xaviar’s pocket was collapsing,” Merryman said. “But today Xaviar stepped up into the pressure and took responsibility for his actions. If I know anything about Xaviar Babudar and if the Chiefs Kingdom knows anything about ChiefsAholic, it’s that even when Xaviar was under pressure and he stumbled and fell, he did not let his knee touch the ground, because he knows there is still hope.”
“Today Xaviar stood humble and repentant before the eyes of the Court and the eyes of the Chiefs Kingdom,” Merryman added. “Xaviar loves the Chiefs Kingdom, he loves his family, and he loves Kansas City. He only hopes that you will all rally to his support.”
As part of his plea, Babudar admitted that he engaged in a string of nine robberies or attempted robberies at banks and credit unions, as well as two robberies after he cut off his ankle monitor last year, prosecutors said. Babudar was originally arrested in December 2022 in Oklahoma and was released on bond when he cut off the monitor in March 2023. He was eventually arrested in California in July 2023.
Investigators used cell phone and financial records as well as DNA evidence to link Babudar to the robberies, according to court documents.
In one of the robberies, investigators alleged Babudar stole $303,845 from a credit union in West Des Moines, Iowa, in July 2022. Babudar allegedly entered the bank with a pistol, jumped over a counter and demanded that employees open the bank vault. They complied and handed over cash, and the man fled the area.
Babudar was arrested in 2022 after he fled from a bank robbery at a credit union in Bixby, Oklahoma, on a bicycle. In that incident, Babudar allegedly entered the bank with a handgun, threatened to shoot employees and was eventually taken into custody by police with $150,250 in his possession.
The Star’s Bill Lukitsch contributed reporting.
