February 28, 2024 – A man popularly known as Kansas City Chiefs superfan “ChiefsAholic” pleaded guilty in federal court Wednesday to charges related to a string of 11 robberies, or attempted robberies, of financial institutions in seven states.
Xaviar Michael Babudar, 29, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to one count of money laundering and one count of transporting stolen property across state lines. Babudar also pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery, which is contained in a separate case filed in the Northern District of Oklahoma.
Babudar also admitted that he engaged in a string of nine bank and credit union robberies (or attempted robberies) in 2022 followed by two bank robberies committed while he was a fugitive from justice. Babudar laundered much of the stolen money through area casinos and online gambling.
During the robbing spree, Babudar admitted that he stole $125,900 from the Nashville, Tennessee, branch of The Tennessee Credit Union on Nov. 17, 2022. Babudar, armed with what appeared to be a black and silver firearm, climbed over the bank teller counter. He pressed the firearm against the teller’s body and demanded that credit union employees take him to the vault.
Employees complied with Babudar’s demands, provided him with cash from the teller drawers, and took him to the vault. Babudar told credit union employees that if he was given a dye pack he would “come back and put a bullet in your head.” After Babudar fled on foot, a hat was recovered; investigators extracted DNA from the hat that matched the DNA extracted from Babudar’s glove in the March 2, 2022, robbery. A few days later, Babudar used some of the stolen money to purchase $20,000 in casino chips in multiple transactions from a local casino.
Under the terms of Wednesday’s plea agreement, Babudar must pay at least $532,675 in restitution to the victim financial institutions. Babudar also must forfeit to the government any property involved in his money laundering activity, including an autographed painting of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick L. Mahomes II that has been recovered by the FBI.
Babudar, who lived a nomadic existence at various locations around the Kansas City metropolitan area, enjoyed a robust social media presence as Kansas City Chiefs superfan Twitter user @ChiefsAholic, attending most games dressed as a wolf in Chiefs clothing.
“His violent crime spree across the Midwest and beyond traumatized bank employees and victimized financial institutions in seven states,” said U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore. “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.”
Under the terms of Wednesday’s plea agreement, Babudar is subject to a sentence of up to 50 years in federal prison without parole, with the parties agreeing to recommend that the sentences imposed for each count run concurrent to one another. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 10, 2024.
Read more about Babudar’s crime spree here.
Source: U.S. Attorney’s Office
