Kansas City Chiefs Superfan Who Tried To Rob MN Banks Pleads Guilty

KANSAS CITY, MO — The man popularly known as Kansas City Chiefs superfan "ChiefsAholic" pleaded guilty in federal court Wednesday to charges related to a string of bank robberies in seven states, including two in Minnesota.

Xaviar Michael Babudar, 29, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to money laundering and transporting stolen property across state lines. Babudar also pleaded guilty to bank robbery in a separate case out of Oklahoma.

Babudar "lived a nomadic existence at various locations around the Kansas City metropolitan area," said U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore, adding that he "enjoyed a robust social media presence as Kansas City Chiefs superfan Twitter user @ChiefsAholic, attending most games dressed as a wolf in Chiefs clothing."

Babudar faces up to 50 years in federal prison without parole at his sentencing July 10.

As part of the plea deal, Babudar admitted to a string of nine bank and credit union robberies — or attempted robberies — in 2022. Those robberies were followed by two more bank robberies committed while he was a fugitive from justice living on his gambling winnings, authorities said.

Babudar laundered much of the stolen money through area casinos and online gambling sites, including Barstool Sportsbook and FanDuel, investigators said.

Among the banks he targeted were two in Minnesota: Wings Financial Credit Union in Savage and Royal Credit Union in Apple Valley, both on Nov. 29, 2022.

Wings Financial Credit Union

Babudar entered this credit union with what appeared to be a firearm and demanded that credit union employees open the vault. Babudar fled from the credit union after seeing the vault only held small bills, authorities said.

Royal Credit Union

Babudar entered the credit union with what appeared to be a firearm and demanded that credit union employees open the vault. When he saw the vault only contained small bills, Babudar demanded $100 bills. Credit union employees told him they didn’t keep $100 bills in the vault, and Babudar fled on foot, according to investigators.

Babudar fled Minnesota and continued to rob banks across the U.S. But on Dec. 16, 2022, he was arrested after robbing Tulsa, Oklahoma Teachers Federal Credit Union, authorities said.

Babudar was released on bond in February 2023. Later that month, two bets that Babudar had placed on the Super Bowl months previous cashed:

• Before the season, Babudar had bet $5,000 that Chiefs’ quarterback Patrick Mahomes would win the Most Valuable Player at Super Bowl LVII
• Babudar also bet $5,000 that the Kansas City Chiefs would win Super Bowl LVII

After the bets hit, Argosy Casino mailed Babudar a $100,000 check in early March 2023. Days later, Babudar cut his ankle monitor and fled from Oklahoma. He used his gambling winnings to purchase a vehicle and evade law enforcement until his arrest in Sacramento on July 7, 2023, according to prosecutors.

While a fugitive, Babudar robbed two more banks, one in Nevada and the other in California, authorities said.