Associated Press
April 9, 2024, 4:45 PM
OKLAHOMA CITY — An Oklahoma judge ordered a Kansas City Chiefs superfan known as “ChiefsAholic” who admitted to a series of bank robberies to pay $10.8 million to a teller who was assaulted with a gun, though attorneys say the teller may never collect any money.
A judge in Tulsa handed down the order last week against Xaviar Michael Bubudar, 29, who was known for attending Chiefs games dressed as a wolf in the NFL team’s gear. Former bank teller Payton Garcia alleged Bubudar used a gun to assault her during a robbery of a Bixby, Oklahoma, credit union in December 2022, court records show.
The judge ordered Bubudar to pay Garcia $3.6 million for her injuries and loss of income, and $7.2 million in punitive damages. A message left Tuesday with Bubudar’s attorney was not immediately returned.
Garcia’s attorney, Frank Frasier, acknowledged that it would be difficult to collect the money for his client, but said the judgment sends an important message.
“I think the judge feels that way,” Frasier told The Associated Press. “She did not come right out and say it during the hearing, but I argued that nobody should be able to profit from this, be it notoriety, clicks, views or likes.”
Frasier said if Bubudar ever sold his story, wrote a book or was somehow able to profit from his story, his client would be able to collect some of the judgment against him.
Although tellers have sued their employers over bank robberies before, it’s far less common for them to sue a robber.
Ed Blau, a prominent criminal defence attorney in Oklahoma City, said that’s because it’s safe to assume bank robbers aren’t generally wealthy. Blau, who is not affiliated with Garcia’s case, said that while it’s strategically savvy for Garcia to sue Bubudar, it’s unlikely she will ever collect much from him.
“She could have gotten a judgment for $10 billion, but the likelihood of collecting is exceedingly slim,” he said. “She’s got a judgment on paper only.”
Bubudar pleaded guilty in February to a string of robberies of banks and credit unions in multiple states. He remains imprisoned until his formal sentencing, which is set for July 10 in Kansas City.
Federal prosecutors said Babudar admitted to the robberies and attempted robberies in 2022 and 2023 and to laundering the stolen money through casinos and online gambling.
As part of the plea agreement, Babudar must pay at least $532,675 in restitution. He also must forfeit property — including an autographed painting of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes that was recovered by the FBI.
Before his arrest, Babudar was a well-known figure on social media for his rabid support of the Chiefs and attended several games dressed as a wolf in Chiefs’ clothing.
2024-04-09 20:45:00
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