More than his means
An ex-Connecticut police chief who wagered a combined $4.46m to rack up huge betting debts has been arrested for allegedly stealing money from the department.
department accounts used to fund informants
Connecticut State Police (CSP) arrested former New Haven Police Department (NHPD) Chief of Police Karl Jacobson on Friday for theft of $85,500 from department accounts used to fund informants and a youth extracurricular program.
CSP detectives stated that Jacobson, 55, wagered a combined $4.46m on DraftKings and FanDuel between January 2025 and January 2026, racking up a “net gambling loss of $214,365.”
According to the Connecticut Post, Jacobson abruptly retired as chief on January 5 after he was confronted by three NHPD assistant chiefs about financial discrepancies in department funds.
Chief fund finagler
While he was released on a $150,000 bond after turning himself in on Friday, Jacobson faces a double count of larceny “related to defrauding a public community.”
The CP reported that Jacobson admitted stealing department funds to New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker when announcing his retirement in January.
Elicker said that Jacobson had confessed to stealing $10,000 for personal use when three of his deputies confronted him.
According to the NHPD, Jacobson failed to turn over responsibility for the fund to assistant chiefs, including David Zannelli, when he was promoted to chief. Zannelli said at a January news conference that he requested that his former chief hand over the fund on multiple occasions, “but that the chief had refused, citing potential liability implications.”
Mayor Elicker named Zannelli as the acting NHPD chief after Jacobson’s exit. In a statement Friday, the Mayor said Jacobson’s arrest was “a sad day” for New Haven.
Former figure of respect
Elicker said Jacobson was “deeply respected” by many in New Haven and had “dedicated his life to helping keep our community safe.” The city official added, however, that stealing taxpayer funds “was not only a crime, but also a breach of public trust” for which Jacobsen must be “held accountable.”
While around $50,000 remains frozen in the informant account because of the CSP investigation, Zannelli has reportedly issued a temporary order to re-launch the NHPD fund.
