'ChiefsAholic' sentenced in bank robbery, money laundering scheme
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A Kansas City Chiefs superfan who pleaded guilty to robbing banks across the country was sentenced in federal court on Thursday.
Xaviar Babudar, better known as the wolf suit-wearing “ChiefsAholic,” pleaded guilty in February to three charges: one count each for money laundering, transporting stolen property across state lines and bank robbery in Oklahoma.
Babudar was sentenced to 17.5 years in prison on Thursday. His attorney declined to speak with reporters after sentencing, FOX4 will have more on this during our noon newscast.
Babudar was originally accused of robbing, or attempting to rob, 11 banks in seven different states and laundering the money through casinos and online gambling.
Court records say he used the money to pay for Chiefs tickets, travel and bet on games. During this time, a federal indictment said Babudar did not report any wages earned in the states of Missouri or Kansas.
While he was free on bond in March of 2023, prosecutors allege he got a $100,000 check before cutting off his ankle monitor and going on the run.
Prosecutors say he admitted to two bank robberies while he was a fugitive. He was arrested in northern California a few months after cutting off his monitor. He’s been in federal custody since then.
“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 release.
“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.”
As part of his plea deal, more than a dozen charges against him were dismissed. He also has to pay at least $532,675 in restitution to the victim financial institutions and forfeit any property involved -- including an autographed painting of Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes -- to the government.
“While Babudar garnered significant national attention, his criminal actions were reckless – intimidating and victimizing bank employees and the institutions themselves," FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen A. Cyrus previously said.