David PurdumESPN Staff WriterRead in 2 minutes
A federal grand jury on Wednesday indicted a notorious Kansas City Chiefs superfan in Kansas City, according to the US Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri.
Xabial Babdar, 29, has been charged with three counts of armed bank robbery, one count of bank theft, 11 counts of money laundering and four counts of transporting stolen goods across state borders. Federal prosecutors allege Baabdar laundered proceeds through Midwestern casinos and used the money to attend Chiefs home and away games.
Babdar, known on social media as Chief Sahorik, wore a gray wolf suit to matches and was often broadcast. According to a criminal complaint released in July, Babder served a nine-month period from March 2, 2022, in Clive, Iowa, to December 16, 2022, when he was first arrested in Bixby, Oklahoma. He was implicated in six robberies and two attempted robberies in 2006. Authorities claim Babdar stole more than $800,000 in total.
According to a Justice Department statement, Babder won $100,000 at an Illinois sportsbook after receiving a $100,000 prize in a bet on Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes winning the NFLMVP and Kansas City winning the Super Bowl. He got bail money and fled while he was out. Days after receiving the $100,000, Babdal disconnected his ankle monitor and fled the state, according to the indictment. He was on the run for over three months before being arrested by the FBI on July 7 near Sacramento.
“The 19 indictments released today by the government unfairly and unfairly portray Xavier,” Babdar’s attorney Matthew T. Merryman said in a statement. “The truth is, since 2018, Xavier Babdal, aka ‘The Chiefs Aholic,’ has entertained, inspired, united, and united the residents of Kansas City, the Kingdom of Chiefs, and hundreds of millions of football fans around the world. It means that you have been motivated. It’s the fourth quarter of the most important game right now. Xavier’s life and his legal team believe that his innocence will eventually be proven before the public, and that once all the facts come out, his supporters, admirers, and the Chiefs’ Kingdom We are convinced that he will be saved in the sight of
