Kansas City Chiefs Fan Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison for Bank Robbery Squad
Date: 2024-09-10 Author: Alex Crawford Categories: EVENTS
Robbery Squad in 16 Months
A 30-year-old Kansas City Chiefs fan who goes by the name Xaviar "ChiefsAholic" Babudar has been sentenced to 17.5 years in prison without parole for robbing 11 banks in California, the Midwest and Nevada, the U.S. Department of Justice announced.
In addition to the prison term, Babudar must pay $532,675 in restitution to the banks he robbed. He must also return an autographed portrait of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes that was found by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Babudar began his crime spree in March 2022, when he robbed the Great Western Bank in Clive, Iowa. In December 2022, he was arrested by police in Bixby after attempting to flee with $139,500 stolen from the Tulsa Teachers Federal Credit Union.
Escape and More Crimes
In February 2023, Babudar was released on bail and ordered to wear a GPS bracelet to prevent him from leaving Oklahoma. However, he cut off the bracelet and fled some time later, and continued to commit bank robberies in Nevada and California.
In total, he stole $847,725 before he was arrested again in Lincoln, California in July 2023. Much of the money was never recovered, as Babudar laundered it through casino gambling.
Between April and December 2022, he purchased more than $1 million in chips at casinos in Kansas, Missouri, and Illinois and cashed out an equivalent amount. Prosecutors considered this evidence of money laundering.
Trial and Charges
Prosecutors said Babudar lived a nomadic lifestyle in the Kansas City area. He often wore a gray wolf costume to his favorite team’s games, attracting the attention of television cameras.
In February 2024, Babudar pleaded guilty to charges of bank robbery, money laundering, and transporting stolen property across state lines. He also pleaded guilty to a separate case filed in the Northern District of Oklahoma. He was sentenced to 17.5 years in prison for each charge, which he will serve concurrently.
Addiction to fame
Babudar's attorney, Matthew Merriman, argued that his client's crimes were fueled by a gambling addiction. However, Patrick Daly, a senior attorney with the U.S. Attorney's office, disagreed. "This is not a gambling addiction," Daly said. "This is an addiction to fame."
In a statement, FBI Special Agent Stephen Cyrus echoed Daly's assessment, noting that Babudar "terrorized bank employees as part of his criminal enterprise while enjoying the fame."
