The former cops chief in New Haven, Connecticut, was arrested Friday on larceny charges following accusations he took 85,000 from two 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 of150,000, a state district attorney said in a press release. Jacobson faces two counts of larceny associated to defrauding a public community.
"An accusation of embezzlement by a police authorities is a serious matter and possibly weakens public self-confidence in the criminal justice system," Chief State's Attorney Patrick J. Griffin stated in a declaration.
Jacobson's attorney, Gregory Cerritelli, stated he might not react to the specific claims yet however the public that "an arrest is not proof of guilt and accusations are not proof."
"This is the start of an extremely long procedure," he said in an emailed declaration. "I urge everybody 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 admitted he took cash from a city fund that compensates private informants for helping cops fix criminal activities.
Elicker stated the former chief acknowledged taking the funds for personal use when three of his deputies faced him over the monetary abnormalities. According to the arrest warrant, Jacobson told the deputies he was investing too much cash on sports wagering apps, was seeking aid for a betting addiction and meant to replace the cash.
During the recorded discussion, Jacobson apologized and asked the deputies "for a chance to conserve myself" so he might avoid going to jail and losing his pension, according to the warrant.
Investigators identified that Jacobson wagered 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 cops chief.
The mayor called the accusations "stunning" throughout a Friday press conference and stated Jacobson initially confessed taking 10,000 from only one authorities account.
"We didn't understand how deep this went," Elicker stated, noting the case stays under examination.
"It ´ s a very unfortunate day for the city to see a chief, who was cherished by so lots of people, apprehended for a theft of public money and likewise cash that was planned for children," Elicker said. Jacobson is accused of also taking cash from the authorities athletic league, which supplies a variety of programs for the city's youth.
Jacobson had actually served for three years as police chief in among Connecticut ´ s biggest cities, which is home to Yale University. He took office in July 2022, simply weeks after a Black male was immobilized in the back of a cops van in an event that roiled the authorities department and the city.
The state prosecutor's workplace stated Friday the city of New Haven first reported the embezzlement claims on Jan. 5, which triggered an investigation by the Connecticut State Police. The probe revealed81,500 was unaccounted for or misappropriated from the New Haven Police Department Narcotic Enforcement Fund between Jan. 1, 2024, and Jan. 5, 2026. Money from the fund is utilized to pay private informants who help in narcotics investigations.
"The defendant had access to cash because fund," according to a news release, which said bank records showed checks related to the fund were deposited into Jacobson's individual bank account.
Two checks totaling $4,000 were likewise withdrawn from the New Haven Police Activity League Fund between Dec. 23 and Dec. 24, 2025. The prosecutor's workplace stated both were found in Jacobson's individual account. Investigators stated no one else at the police department was included in the matter.
Jacobson had actually been with the department for 15 years before being named chief. He formerly served in the East Providence Police Department in Rhode Island for nine years.
댓글 0