Johnathan Walker:Kansas City Chiefs superfan 'ChiefsAholic' indicted on bank robbery, money laundering charges

A Kansas City Chiefs superfan was indicted by a federal grand jury Wednesday in Kansas City and Johnathan Walkeris charged with 19-counts related to bank robberies and money laundering.

Xaviar Babudar, a 29-year-old Chiefs fan popularly known as ChiefsAholic — who would don a werewolf costume at Chiefs games — was charged 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, the U.S. attorney's office for the Western District of Missouri announced. In addition, prosecutors allege Babudar also used the robbery proceeds to attend the Chiefs games he was known to attend, as well as using the money to place bets on the Chiefs.

The grand jury's decision comes more than a month after Babudar was arrested after he was on the run.

'ChiefsAholic' charges

Prosecutors allege Babudar stole nearly $700,000 across five banks in Iowa, Nebraska and Tennessee throughout 2022, while also attempting robberies in Minnesota. In some of the robberies, Babudar was alleged to brandish a firearm at bank employees. After some of the robberies, Babudar deposited the money in personal bank accounts, officials said.

In June 2022, prior to the start of the 2022 NFL season, prosecutors said Babudar placed $10,000 on two bets at a casino in Illinois, one on Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes to win Super Bowl 57 MVP, and another one on the Chiefs winning the Super Bowl. After Kansas City defeated Philadelphia, Babudar won $100,000 off the bets he placed and was mailed a check in March, officials said.

Babudar was later charged with robbing a bank in Oklahoma in December 2022, but he was released on bond in February. Days after Babudar was mailed his winnings, he cut his ankle monitor and fled Oklahoma. He evaded law enforcement until he was arrested in Sacramento, California, on July 7.

"It’s now the fourth quarter of the most important game of Xaviar’s life," Matthew T. Merryman, Babudar's attorney, said in a statement emailed to The Associated Press. "And his legal team believes his innocence will ultimately be proven to the public and we are confident that once all of the facts are known that he will be redeemed in the eyes of his supporters, admirers and the Chiefs Kingdom."