Kansas City Chiefs superfan Xaviar Babudar, also known as “ChiefsAholic,” was sentenced to 17.5 years in federal prison on Thursday for his involvement in a series of bank robberies across the United States.
Babudar, 30, received his sentence after pleading guilty earlier in February to one count of bank robbery, one count of money laundering, and one count of transporting stolen property across state lines. According to ESPN’s Elizabeth Merrill and David Purdum, Babudar admitted to stealing over $800,000 during 11 bank robberies or attempted robberies across seven states and laundering the stolen funds through casinos.
Babudar’s defense attorney, Matthew Merryman, attributed his client’s actions to a gambling addiction. However, U.S. Attorney’s Office senior litigation counsel Patrick Daly disagreed, stating, “It’s not an addiction to gambling. It’s not an addiction to the Chiefs. It’s an addiction to fame.”
Babudar initially came into the spotlight in December 2022 when he was arrested in connection with an armed robbery at the Tulsa Teachers Credit Union in Bixby, Oklahoma. Following his arrest, he was on the run for four months after allegedly removing his ankle monitor. He was subsequently apprehended again in California.
In May, Prime Video announced that Babudar will be featured in an upcoming documentary.
