Unlike most true crime documentaries, Chiefsaholic: A Wolf in Chiefs Clothing (now streaming on Amazon Prime Video) lands a wild card: first-person access to its subject right in the thick of his high-stakes exploits.
Director Dylan Sires steps into the chaotic whirlwind of Xaviar Babudar, who, while awaiting trial for a spree of high-profile bank robberies, opens his life to the camera.
Before fleeing bail and inciting a multi-state manhunt, Babudar spins his own narrative as the notorious Kansas City Chiefs superfan known as “Chiefsaholic.” How did this self-proclaimed diehard make it to every Chiefs game across the country, seated in premium seats, decked out in his now-infamous wolf costume? Turns out, the answer lies in hundreds of thousands of stolen dollars.
The Gist
It’s February 12, 2023: Super Bowl Sunday. The Chiefs are clashing with the Philadelphia Eagles, and Babudar watches the game from his hotel room, proudly wearing a Patrick Mahomes t-shirt—and a court-ordered ankle monitor.
The stakes are monumental: not only is his team playing for ultimate glory, but he’s staring down a potential 350 years in prison for 19 counts of armed robbery and $846,000 in stolen cash.
Yet Babudar’s full attention is fixed on the screen. When YOUR TEAM is playing, nothing else matters.
Rewinding to December 2022, we hear a 911 call reporting a robbery in Bixby, Oklahoma. Babudar—armed with a BB gun—fled a credit union on a bicycle, carrying a backpack stuffed with cash.
Police eventually nabbed him on a suburban street, setting the stage for the shocking revelation that the beloved Chiefs fan was funding his fandom with crime.
Fellow superfans recount their baffled admiration for “Chiefsaholic,” whose viral social media presence and spirited pregame videos made him a cherished mascot of the community. When he went silent online, rumors swirled: Was he sick? Dead? The truth was stranger than fiction.
The Backstory
Babudar’s life is layered with hardship. Homeless and living out of his car, he carried a troubled past that included family abandonment, time in foster care, and a string of petty crimes.
His financial irresponsibility matched his audacious spirit; Chiefs fans recount seeing him lose $80,000 on a single bet without batting an eye.
Enter Michael Lloyd, the empathetic yet self-interested bail bondsman who secured Babudar’s $80,000 bail, seeing both tragedy in his story and an opportunity for a handsome payday.
By Super Bowl Sunday, however, Lloyd’s faith begins to waver, especially with Babudar set to collect $155,000 for betting on a Chiefs victory and Mahomes’ MVP title.
Sure enough, Babudar vanishes, leaving Lloyd in a race to track him down before losing the bail money and his license.
The ensuing chase—complete with Lloyd staking out Babudar’s family’s vehicle and sifting through their trash—adds a thriller-esque subplot to the documentary’s intricate web of crime and obsession.
Why It Stands Out
Sires’ documentary does more than recount the unbelievable twists of Babudar’s saga; it’s a kinetic, multidimensional exploration of extreme fandom, gambling addiction, and the ethics of the bail bonds industry.
Police footage, interviews, and reenactments immerse viewers in the action while posing larger questions: How does social media enable mythmaking? How far will a superfan go to sustain their obsession?
The film’s most gut-punching moments come through voices like Payton Garcia, a bank teller whose trauma from Babudar’s heists starkly contrasts his lawyer’s nonchalant claims that “no one was hurt.” It’s an unflinching reminder of the human cost behind the headlines.
Memorable Highlights
- Dialogue Worth Repeating: When Babudar was finally apprehended, arresting officer L. Sanchez delivered the ultimate fan-to-fan roast: “I’m a Raiders fan.” Ouch.
- Visual Storytelling: Scenes of Lloyd tagging cars with trackers and unearthing evidence lend a spy-thriller vibe that’s rare in true crime docs.
- Unexpected Humor: From the futility of stalking Babudar’s Walmart-visiting relatives to Lloyd’s increasingly frantic antics, the doc balances drama with dark comedy.
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Our Take
Chiefsaholic is no run-of-the-mill true crime documentary. It’s a gripping narrative fueled by audacious characters, jaw-dropping twists, and the cultural phenomenon of football fanaticism.
Sires finds the sweet spot between sensational storytelling and thoughtful reflection, delivering a fascinating portrait that’s sure to resonate with fans of both sports and true crime.