Former Connecticut Police Chief Arrested Over Alleged $85,000 Theft

The former cops chief in New Haven, Connecticut, was detained Friday on larceny charges following accusations he took $85,000 from two .


Karl Jacobson, 56, who abruptly retired from the department in January, turned himself in on an arrest warrant. He was later on launched on a court-set bond of $150,000, a state district attorney stated in a press release. Jacobson deals with two counts of larceny associated to defrauding a public community.


"A claims of embezzlement by a cops authorities is a major matter and possibly undermines public confidence in the criminal justice system," Chief State's Attorney Patrick J. Griffin stated in a statement.


Jacobson's lawyer, Gregory Cerritelli, said he could not react to the particular allegations yet but reminded the public that "an arrest is not evidence of regret and accusations are not evidence."


"This is the start of a long process," he said in an emailed statement. "I advise everyone to keep an open mind and avoid a rush to judgment."


Last month, New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker, when announcing Jacobson's retirement, said the previous chief admitted he took money from a city fund that compensates confidential informants for assisting authorities resolve criminal offenses.


Elicker stated the previous chief acknowledged taking the funds for individual usage when three of his deputies faced him over the monetary irregularities. According to the arrest warrant, Jacobson informed the deputies he was investing too much money on sports wagering apps, was seeking aid for a gaming addiction and meant to change the cash.


During the recorded conversation, Jacobson asked forgiveness and asked the deputies "for an opportunity to save myself" so he could avoid going to prison and losing his pension, according to the warrant.


Investigators figured out that Jacobson bet more than $4.4 million on his DraftKings and FanDuel accounts in between Jan. 1, 2025, and Jan. 5, 2026. He won more than $4.2 million but lost more than $214,000. Jacobson made $180,000 a year as cops chief.


The mayor called the accusations "stunning" during a Friday news conference and stated Jacobson at first confessed taking $10,000 from only one police account.


"We didn't know how deep this went," Elicker stated, keeping in mind the case remains under examination.


"It ´ s an extremely sad day for the city to see a chief, who was beloved by numerous individuals, jailed for a theft of public money and likewise money that was intended for kids," Elicker said. Jacobson is accused of also taking money from the authorities athletic league, which offers a range of programs for the city's youth.


Jacobson had actually served for 3 years as cops chief in one of Connecticut ´ s biggest cities, which is home to Yale University. He took workplace in July 2022, simply weeks after a Black male was incapacitated in the back of an authorities van in an occurrence that roiled the cops department and the city.


The state prosecutor's office stated Friday the city of New Haven initially reported the embezzlement claims on Jan. 5, which prompted an investigation by the Connecticut State Police. The probe exposed $81,500 was unaccounted for or misappropriated from the New Haven Police Department Narcotic Enforcement Fund in between Jan. 1, 2024, and Jan. 5, 2026. Money from the fund is used to pay confidential informants who help in narcotics examinations.


"The defendant had access to money because fund," according to a news release, which said bank records revealed checks connected with the fund were deposited into Jacobson's individual bank account.


Two checks totaling $4,000 were also withdrawn from the New Haven Police Activity League Fund in between Dec. 23 and Dec. 24, 2025. The prosecutor's workplace stated both were found in Jacobson's individual account. Investigators said no one else at the authorities department was included in the matter.


Jacobson had been with the department for 15 years before being named chief. He formerly served in the East Providence Police Department in Rhode Island for 9 years.