Posted on: February 23, 2026, 07:19h.
Last updated on: February 23, 2026, 07:19h.
- Virginia officer stole $831K to fund gambling habit
- Fake inheritance story used to secure 33 loans
- Court orders $747K restitution, three-year prison term
A now-ex Virginia police officer who told friends and colleagues he was waiting on a large inheritance was, in fact, funneling most of their money into gambling, federal prosecutors said – the second law enforcement gambling scandal reported today.
Jerry Keith Brady Jr., 38, of Belle Haven, was sentenced in the US District Court in Norfolk to 36 months after pleading guilty to wire fraud and money laundering, according to the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Brady’s prison term was 12 months less than prosecutors had requested.
Prosecutors said he used the credibility of his badge to pry money from people who thought they were helping him with short-term loans.
In this way, Brady convinced at least 13 people to cough up roughly $831,000, from November 2020 through November 2024, in 33 transactions, according to the DOJ.
Phantom Inheritance
The inheritance didn’t exist, according to prosecutors. Most of the money was poured into gambling: casino trips, online sports betting, and slots-style machines placed in convenience stores, described in court filings as “Queen machines.”
“What no one knew was that the defendant harbored a gambling problem,” prosecutors said in court filings summarized by Shore Daily News. “And to feed this problem, the defendant defrauded friends, acquaintances, and even strangers by convincing them that his position as a police officer meant he could be trusted.”
Brady was a local officer in a small, close-knit community, and prosecutors said he exploited public trust in law enforcement and used repeated reassurances to keep money flowing even after promised repayment dates passed.
“Some victims had Brady sign a written contract or promissory note agreeing that he would repay the money,” prosecutors said in a statement. “When the due date passed without repayment, Brady told victims that without more money he would lose the inheritance entirely, and in many instances the victims provided Brady additional funds.”
At sentencing, the court ordered Brady to pay $747,050 in restitution to victims. Under the terms set at sentencing, he must make monthly payments of at least $200 or 25% of his net income, whichever is greater. If he complies with the repayment plan, no interest will accrue on the restitution balance. He was also ordered to pay a $200 special assessment.
Connecticut Case
Brady’s sentence comes as another law-enforcement gambling scandal unfolded in the US.
A former police chief in New Haven, Connecticut, was charged earlier this week with felony larceny after a signed affidavit alleged he stole tens of thousands of dollars from a fund used to pay confidential informants, money state police say he diverted to cover online gambling losses on DraftKings and FanDuel.
