**KANSAS CITY, Mo. —** Xaviar Babudar, known as ChiefsAholic, has been sentenced to 17½ years in prison without the possibility of parole, along with three years of supervised release, for a series of armed bank robberies across the United States.
Babudar, 30, who had gained fame as a dedicated Chiefs superfan, entered a plea deal in February. He admitted to stealing over $800,000 in 11 robberies across seven states and laundering the stolen funds through casinos. He pleaded guilty to charges of bank robbery, money laundering, and transporting stolen property across state lines.
Babudar, often seen in a distinctive gray wolf suit, was a familiar and beloved figure at Chiefs games and on social media, where he cultivated an image as a hardworking and generous individual.
Prosecutors revealed in court documents last week that Babudar was able to maintain his high-profile ChiefsAholic persona and attend games due to the proceeds from his 16-month robbery spree, which began in March 2022.
During his sentencing at the District Court for the Western District of Missouri, Xaviar Babudar, clad in a yellow prison jumpsuit and handcuffs, apologized to his victims, to Kansas City, which he referred to as his home, and to his mother and brother. As he left the courtroom, he blew them a kiss.
Babudar's attorney, Matthew Merryman, attributed his client’s criminal behavior to a gambling addiction. However, Patrick Daly, senior litigation counsel at the U.S. Attorney's Office, contested this view, stating, "It's not an addiction to gambling. It’s not an addiction to the Chiefs. It’s an addiction to fame."
Prosecutors highlighted a statement from a robbery victim, who wrote, "[M]y team didn't deserve to be held at gunpoint twice so a man in a wolf suit could travel the country watching football and placing extravagant bets."
Court documents revealed that during a robbery, Babudar threatened a Nashville credit union employee, saying he would "blow your brains out" and warned that if given a dye pack, he would "come back and put a bullet in your head."
In a separate filing, Merryman stated that Babudar is deeply remorseful, hopes to train in mechanical trades, and wants to assist others struggling with gambling addiction. An ESPN investigation revealed that Babudar had a troubled upbringing and a history of legal issues, and that much of his social media persona was fabricated. Merryman noted in his filing that Babudar had experienced childhood trauma and chronic homelessness.
Babudar's secret life came to light on December 16, 2022, when he was arrested by Bixby, Oklahoma, police following an armed robbery at the Tulsa Teachers Credit Union. After being released on bond in February 2023, he cut off his GPS monitor and escaped a month later after winning $100,000 from two bets on the Chiefs. He evaded authorities for nearly four months, robbing banks in Sparks, Nevada, and El Dorado Hills, California, before his arrest in Lincoln, California, on July 7, 2023.
Merryman has argued that Babudar should receive a 10-year sentence, suggesting that his quasi-celebrity status might enable him to make restitution for the financial losses he caused.
Babudar is required to pay $532,455 in restitution and forfeit property obtained through his crimes, including an autographed painting of quarterback Patrick Mahomes, which was recovered by the Kansas City FBI. Additionally, in April, a judge ordered Babudar to pay $10.8 million to the Bixby teller he threatened.
While awaiting sentencing at Leavenworth federal prison in Kansas, Babudar requested to be transferred to the Greenville federal penitentiary in Illinois.
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