The former cops chief in New Haven, Connecticut, was detained Friday on larceny charges following accusations he stole $85,000 from 2 department accounts.
Karl Jacobson, 56, who suddenly 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 2 counts of larceny related to defrauding a public community.
"An accusation of embezzlement by a police authorities is a severe matter and potentially undermines public confidence in the criminal justice system," Chief State's Attorney Patrick J. Griffin said in a statement.
Jacobson's attorney, Gregory Cerritelli, said he might not react to the particular claims yet however reminded the public that "an arrest is not proof of guilt and allegations are not evidence."
"This is the beginning of an extremely long procedure," he stated in an emailed statement. "I advise everyone to keep an open mind and prevent a rush to judgment."
Last month, New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker, when announcing Jacobson's retirement, said the former chief confessed he took money from a city fund that compensates confidential informants for helping police resolve criminal activities.
Elicker stated the previous chief acknowledged taking the funds for individual usage when three of his deputies confronted him over the financial irregularities. According to the arrest warrant, Jacobson informed the deputies he was spending excessive cash on sports wagering apps, was seeking assistance for a betting addiction and planned to replace the cash.
During the taped discussion, Jacobson apologized and asked the deputies "for a chance to conserve 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 between Jan. 1, 2025, and Jan. 5, 2026. He won more than $4.2 million however lost more than $214,000. Jacobson earned $180,000 a year as cops chief.
The mayor called the accusations "shocking" throughout a Friday news conference and said Jacobson at first admitted taking $10,000 from just one police account.
"We didn't understand how deep this went," Elicker stated, noting the case stays under examination.
"It ´ s a really unfortunate day for the city to see a chief, who was precious by many people, detained for a theft of public cash and likewise money that was planned for children," Elicker said. Jacobson is accused of also taking money from the cops athletic league, which offers a range of programs for the city's youth.
Jacobson had served for 3 years as cops chief in one of Connecticut ´ s biggest cities, which is home to Yale University. He took office in July 2022, just weeks after a Black guy was disabled in the back of a paddy wagon in an event that roiled the authorities department and the city.
The state district attorney's office said Friday the city of New Haven initially reported the embezzlement allegations on Jan. 5, which prompted an investigation by the Connecticut State Police. The probe revealed $81,500 was unaccounted for or misused 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 private informants who assist in narcotics examinations.
"The offender had access to cash because fund," according to a news release, which stated bank records showed checks associated with the fund were transferred into Jacobson's individual bank account.
Two checks amounting to $4,000 were likewise withdrawn from the New Haven Police Activity League Fund in between Dec. 23 and Dec. 24, 2025. The prosecutor's workplace said both were found in Jacobson's individual account. Investigators said no one else at the cops department was included in the matter.
Jacobson had actually been with the department for 15 years before being named chief. He previously served in the East Providence Police Department in Rhode Island for nine years.