Posted on: August 28, 2025, 06:49h.
Last updated on: August 28, 2025, 06:49h.
- Officer reportedly defrauded acquaintances via fictitious inheritance assertions
- Federal indictment includes charges of wire fraud, money laundering, and gambling dependency
- Eastville police department under investigation amid fraud allegations and community backlash
An officer from a small Virginia town has been indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly deceiving acquaintances out of over $819,000 over four years to fund an extensive gambling addiction.
Jerry Keith Brady Jr., a 38-year-old officer from Belle Haven, is facing 12 counts of wire fraud and two counts of money laundering following an indictment that was made public in Norfolk federal court on August 21.
Prosecutors are additionally pursuing forfeiture of at least $819,250, believed to be proceeds from criminal activities.
The indictment identifies at least a dozen victims, referred to only by initials. Authorities claim that Brady exploited his role as a police officer to gain trust from those he later defrauded.
No Inheritance Received
Brady allegedly informed friends that he was on the verge of receiving a substantial inheritance or life insurance payout following a relative’s death, as outlined in the indictment.
He purportedly requested loans, sometimes in amounts of tens of thousands of dollars, to cover legal fees or other expenses before he could access the supposed funds.
One victim is reported to have given him over $80,000 in a single transaction, while another transferred nearly $85,000. The indictment mentions that Brady sometimes signed repayment agreements, but in most cases, he failed to repay any money.
“There was never any inheritance or life insurance, nor were there any associated fees that Brady claimed needed to be paid,” according to the indictment from prosecutors.
Brady reportedly signed written promises to repay some lenders but rarely followed through. Federal officials allege that he diverted the money towards gambling.
Two counts of money laundering are connected to checks Brady allegedly issued back to victims—$18,000 in one instance and $13,000 in another—arguing these were merely funds recycled from what he had borrowed.
Controversy in the Small Town
The indictment and his subsequent arrest have increased scrutiny of the Eastville police department, which was already under fire for overly aggressive traffic enforcement.
Reports earlier this year indicated by WTKR showed that officers issued between 200 to 400 speeding tickets monthly—remarkably high for a town with just 200 residents.
Town officials rejected claims that this was “policing for profit,” asserting that tickets were issued only to motorists who exceeded 70 mph in a 55-mph zone.
Eastville representatives confirmed that Brady was apprehended on August 25, 2025, and subsequently placed on administrative leave. They emphasized that the situation is “a personal matter” and does not involve his police duties or other personnel.
Brady’s court date is set for September 3, 2025. If found guilty, he could face up to 20 years in prison for each wire fraud count and 10 years for each money laundering charge, alongside potential restitution and asset forfeiture.