Chiefs superfan ‘ChiefsAholic’ indicted on 19 charges, including bank robbery, money laundering
The Kansas City Chiefs superfan known as “ChiefsAholic” was indicted by a federal grand jury Wednesday for allegedly robbing a string of banks in the Midwest and allegedly laundering the stolen cash through casinos, according to a statement from the U.S. attorney's office for the Western District of Missouri.
Xaviar Babudar, the man behind the popular social media handle, was arrested last month for an alleged robbery in Iowa last year. FBI investigators used bank records, casino transaction records and other "sensitive" financial information before discovering his cell phone was placed in cities where previously unsolved robberies took place, according to the statement.
The 28-year-old's 19-count indictment replaces and adds more charges than the federal criminal complaint that was filed against him in May.
On Wednesday, he was charged with 11 counts of money laundering, four counts of transporting stolen property across state lines, three counts of armed bank robbery and one count of bank theft.
He was allegedly responsible for six robberies and two attempted robberies during a nine-month stretch between March and Dec. 2022. Authorities allege he stole more than $800,000 in total. He also allegedly purchased and redeemed more than $1 million in chips from various casinos in Missouri, Kansas, and Illinois between April and December 2022.
Babudar gained fame by attending most Chiefs games dressed in a gray, masked wolf suit. Authorities allege he was able to finance his travel and attendance for these games through crime. In addition to the robberies, he allegedly gambled on the results of Chiefs games without reporting his winnings in Missouri or Kansas.
He was initially arrested in Dec. 2022 in Bixby, Oklahoma, but later cut his ankle monitor and fled the state while out on bond after winning $100,000 on bets from an Illinois sportsbook, according to the statement.
Some of his earnings came from betting on Patrick Mahomes to win NFL MVP and the Chiefs to win the Super Bowl. He was on the run for over three months before being captured by the FBI near Sacramento, California in July.
Matthew T. Merryman, Babudar's defense attorney, addressed the indictment in a statement:
"The government's announcement today of its 19-count indictment provides an unfair and unjust portrayal of Xaviar. The truth is that since 2018 Xaviar Babudar, aka 'ChiefsAholic' has entertained, inspired, unified and motivated Kansas Citians, the Chiefs Kingdom and hundreds of millions of football fans around the globe. It's now the fourth quarter of the most important game of Xaviar's life, and his legal team believes his innocence will ultimately be proven to the public and we are confident that once all of the facts are known that he will be redeemed in the eyes of his supporters, admirers and the Chiefs Kingdom."
Babudar remains in federal custody without bond.
