‘ChiefsAholic’ featured in new ESPN documentary

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Ahead of Monday Night Football matchup, ESPN will release a new documentary on one of the Kansas City Chiefs’ most infamous fans: ChiefsAholic.

“Where Wolf: The Search for ChiefsAholic” will chronicle Xaviar Babudar’s life, alleged bank robberies, escape and arrest.

Babudar pleaded not guilty to 19 federal charges back in August. A federal grand jury indicted the 29-year-old earlier this week, accusing him of robbing banks across the country and laundering the money through casinos.

His trial has been set for Jan. 8, 2024.

The 40-minute documentary includes Babudar’s first public comments from jail since his second arrest, ESPN said.

Xaviar Babudar booking photo provided by the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Department

“When his attorney agreed to send him a list of our questions in September, we felt as if it was somewhat of a breakthrough,” ESPN reporter Elizabeth Merrill said in a release.

“Babudar wouldn’t answer questions about his case, but he did paint a picture of a man who got caught up in his own superfan persona.”

“Where Wolf” also includes interviews with Babudar’s attorney, Matthew Merryman; Bixby, Oklahoma, Police Chief Todd Blish; other longtime Chiefs fans; and more.

The new documentary will debut on ESPN+, the company’s streaming platform, on Monday.

What happened?

Court documents say Babudar, who lived a nomadic existence at various locations around the Kansas City area, was known on social media as Chiefs superfan and Twitter user @ChiefsAholic, attending most games dressed as a wolf in Chiefs gear.

According to the indictment, Babudar carried out a string of bank and credit union robberies throughout 2022 to attend Chiefs games.

Investigators allege that Babudar laundered the money through casinos and also placed various bets with the money on Chiefs games. During this time, the indictment says Babudar did not report any wages earned in the states of Missouri or Kansas.

The new federal indictment charges Babudar with three counts of armed bank robbery, one count of bank theft, 11 counts of money laundering, and four counts of transporting stolen property across state lines.

Robbery allegations

Babudar allegedly stole $70,000 from the Clive, Iowa, branch of Great Western Bank on March 2, 2022. He then took the money to Missouri, depositing it in two separate transactions into his personal savings account, court records say.

Babudar then allegedly stole $170,860 from the Omaha, Nebraska, branch of First National Bank of Omaha on April 28, 2022. Omaha police officers recovered $163,560 following the theft.

Court records say Babudar stole $303,845 from the West Des Moines, Iowa, branch of First Class Community Credit Union on July 13, 2022.

He carried this money back to Missouri and deposited $23,000 into his savings account, prosecutors say. He used some of the proceeds to make various casino chip purchases over the next three months at casinos in Missouri and Illinois, then cashed out his winnings and deposited them into his savings account, court documents say.

Babudar then allegedly stole $125,900 from the Nashville, Tennessee, branch of The Tennessee Credit Union on Nov. 17, 2022. A few days later, he used some of the stolen money to purchase $20,000 in casino chips in multiple transactions from a local casino, court records say.

Following two unsuccessful robberies of the Wings Financial Credit Union in Savage, Minnesota, and the Royal Credit Union in Apple Valley, Minnesota, on Nov. 29, 2022, the indictment says Babudar returned to Clive, Iowa.

There Babudar allegedly stole $25,000 from the Clive, Iowa, branch of First Interstate Bank on Nov. 30, 2022.

Babudar was eventually arrested and charged in Tulsa County, Oklahoma, for the alleged robbery of the Tulsa Teachers Federal Credit Union on Dec. 16, 2022.

Out on bond

Babudar was released on bond in February 2023.

While out on bond, the indictment says Babudar cut off his ankle monitor and fled from Oklahoma. Babudar evaded law enforcement until his arrest in the Sacramento area on July 7.

In August, federal prosecutors proposed new evidence for the case that includes bank surveillance photos from two more alleged robberies in Nevada and California.

The 29-year-old has not been charged for either of these alleged robberies out West.

Retired FBI Special Agent Jeff Lanza was surprised Babudar wasn’t caught sooner. With more than 20 years experience, Lanza said most bank robbers get caught right away.

“It’s not like he was trying to hide out and wait around until he commits the next bank robbery in some other place,” Lanza said, “so certainly high profile.”

Investigators also accuse Babudar of placing bets with the stolen money, including $5,000 on the Chiefs last Super Bowl and on Patrick Mahomes winning MVP.

Court documents say a casino mailed him a $100,000 check for his winnings just before he allegedly cut off his ankle monitor and fled.