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

The previous cops chief in New Haven, Connecticut, was jailed Friday on larceny charges following claims 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 released on a court-set bond of $150,000, a state district attorney said in a news release. Jacobson deals with two counts of larceny related to defrauding a public community.


"An accusation of embezzlement by a cops official is a severe 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, stated he could not respond to the specific accusations yet but reminded the public that "an arrest is not proof of guilt and accusations are not evidence."


"This is the start of a very long procedure," he stated in an emailed declaration. "I advise everyone to keep an open mind and avoid a rush to judgment."


Last month, New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker, when revealing Jacobson's retirement, stated the former chief confessed he took money from a city fund that compensates personal informants for helping police resolve criminal activities.


Elicker said the former chief acknowledged taking the funds for individual usage when 3 of his deputies faced him over the monetary irregularities. According to the arrest warrant, Jacobson told the deputies he was investing too much money on sports wagering apps, was seeking assistance for a gaming addiction and meant to change the cash.


During the taped conversation, Jacobson apologized 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 identified 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 however lost more than $214,000. Jacobson earned $180,000 a year as authorities chief.


The mayor called the claims "stunning" throughout a Friday press conference and said Jacobson initially admitted taking $10,000 from only one .


"We didn't know how deep this went," Elicker stated, noting the case remains under investigation.


"It ´ s a very sad day for the city to see a chief, who was cherished by many people, arrested for a theft of public cash and also cash that was planned for kids," Elicker said. Jacobson is accused of likewise taking cash from the cops athletic league, which supplies a variety of programs for the city's youth.


Jacobson had actually served for 3 years as authorities chief in among Connecticut ´ s largest 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 incident that roiled the cops department and the city.


The state district attorney's workplace said Friday the city of New Haven initially reported the embezzlement allegations on Jan. 5, which triggered an examination by the Connecticut State Police. The probe revealed $81,500 was unaccounted for or abused from the New Haven Police Department Narcotic Enforcement Fund between Jan. 1, 2024, and Jan. 5, 2026. Money from the fund is used to pay private informants who help in narcotics examinations.


"The defendant had access to cash because fund," according to a news release, which stated bank records showed checks related to the fund were transferred into Jacobson's individual checking account.


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


Jacobson had 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.