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

The former cops chief in New Haven, Connecticut, was arrested Friday on larceny charges following accusations he took $85,000 from 2 department accounts.


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 faces two counts of larceny related to defrauding a public neighborhood.


"A claims 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 said in a declaration.


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


"This is the start of a long process," he stated in an emailed declaration. "I prompt 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 admitted he took money from a city fund that compensates private informants for helping cops solve criminal offenses.


Elicker said the former chief acknowledged taking the funds for personal usage when 3 of his deputies faced him over the monetary irregularities. According to the arrest warrant, Jacobson informed the deputies he was spending too much cash on sports wagering apps, was seeking assistance for a gambling dependency and intended to replace the cash.


During the taped discussion, Jacobson said sorry and asked the deputies "for an opportunity to conserve myself" so he could prevent going to prison and losing his pension, according to the warrant.


Investigators figured out that Jacobson wagered 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 made $180,000 a year as cops chief.


The mayor called the accusations "shocking" throughout a Friday press conference and said Jacobson at first confessed taking $10,000 from just one police account.


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


"It ´ s a really unfortunate day for the city to see a chief, who was precious by so many individuals, apprehended for a theft of public money and likewise cash that was planned for children," Elicker stated. Jacobson is accused of likewise taking money from the police athletic league, which offers a variety 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, simply weeks after a Black guy was immobilized in the back of a in an event that roiled the police department and the city.


The state district attorney's office said Friday the city of New Haven first reported the embezzlement claims 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 utilized to pay private informants who assist in narcotics investigations.


"The accused had access to money in that fund," according to a press release, which said bank records revealed checks associated with the fund were deposited into Jacobson's personal bank account.


Two checks amounting to $4,000 were also withdrawn from the New Haven Police Activity League Fund between Dec. 23 and Dec. 24, 2025. The prosecutor's office said both were discovered in Jacobson's individual account. Investigators stated no one else at the cops department was involved in 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.