Chiefs superfan arrested in California after months on the lam, suspected of string of bank robberies

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Xaviar Babudar, a Kansas City Chiefs superfan known as ChiefsAholic, was arrested in California after months on the lam, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said on Monday.

Babudar, 28, had been a fugitive from justice for about four months after he allegedly skipped a court hearing on bank robbery charges in March. The Overland Park, Kansas, man was charged in federal court for one of a string of bank robberies he’s suspected of committing, officials said. He’s also charged with transporting stolen property across state lines.

Babudar was arrested in Lincoln, California, on Friday.

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In December, he was accused of robbing a Tulsa Teachers Federal Credit Union and released on bond in February, officials said. In late March, Babudar is suspected of removing his ankle monitor and going on the lam. Officials said investigators recently located Babudar near Sacramento and a federal warrant was issued for his arrest.

Xavier Babudar (Tulsa County Jail)

"According to an affidavit filed in support of the federal criminal complaint, Babudar traveled throughout the Midwest to perpetrate a string of robberies at various banks and credit unions. He allegedly laundered the robbery proceeds through area casinos and bank accounts," the U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a news release.

Babudar is also suspected of other potential crimes.

Officials said, citing a recently unsealed affidavit, that after he was arrested in December, the FBI began to review "bank records, casino transaction records, and sensitive financial reporting to determine the breadth and scope of additional potential criminal activities."

Officials said "Babudar purchased and redeemed more than $1 million in chips from various casinos in Missouri, Kansas, and Illinois between April and December 2022," according to the affidavit.

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"Investigators also reviewed unsolved bank robberies throughout the Midwest during that time frame. Babudar’s cell phone was placed in the same cities and locations for these previously unsolved bank robberies and attempted robberies, the affidavit says," the news release says. "In addition to the bank theft with which Babudar is charged in this complaint and the bank robbery charged in Oklahoma, the affidavit specifically refers to four bank robberies in Nebraska, Iowa, Tennessee and Oklahoma, and to the attempted robberies of two credit unions in Minnesota."

A Kansas City Chiefs fan dressed as KC Wolf attends the game between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Kansas City Chiefs at TIAA Bank Field on September 8, 2019, in Jacksonville, Florida. (Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

A complaint charged Babudar with stealing $70,000 from a bank in Iowa in March 2022 and transporting the money from Iowa to Missouri. Officials said Babudar later deposited the money into a money market savings account and purchased casino chips in a Missouri casino.

A federal grand jury will determine whether to return and indictment on the chargers, officials said.

Two days before the Chiefs were set to play the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium in Houston, fans wondered where Babudar’s Chiefs-centric tweets were. He would take shots at his team’s rivals, like many general NFL fans do. However, he did not appear to tweet through Kansas City’s game against the Texans, even has the Chiefs needed to skirt by in overtime thanks to Jerick McKinnon.

Reddit sleuths were quick to make the connection that the superfan was arrested for allegedly robbing the Oklahoma bank.

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Babudar was later identified as the suspect and the mega Chiefs fan behind the KC Wolf costume. He was arrested on armed robbery, among other charges, before he went on the lam, according to Tulsa County Jail records.