A veteran city worker, with nearly 30 years of service, has confessed to embezzling over $177,000 to sustain his online gambling habit.
David Bruce Johnson, aged 62, is confronting serious felony accusations, including first-degree larceny and second-degree forgery after being apprehended by Stamford police on April 21, following a warrant that alleged he embezzled municipal funds over several years, as per Connecticut court documentation.
The Stamford Advocate notes that Johnson had been employed by the City of Stamford for 28 years, most recently at the city’s recycling and sanitation facility on Harbor View Drive. His responsibilities included managing the scale house at the residential waste disposal site, where financial inconsistencies in receipts collected during his shifts became apparent.
Johnson Acknowledges the Fraud
While residents can deposit up to 200 pounds of material per day via passenger vehicles for free, there is a fee of $6.75 for every additional 100 pounds. Non-passenger vehicles incur a charge of $135 per ton, with an extra $12 for items containing freon.
As city officials recognized discrepancies in deposits related to overweight vehicles, Johnson was questioned and allegedly confessed to pocketing cash payments. Reports indicate he was siphoning approximately $500 daily.
During initial questioning, Johnson reportedly stated that he had made a significant mistake but intended to repay the funds. He claimed to be dealing with a brain tumor and suggested plans to receive treatment in Mexico. His intention was to reimburse the city by retiring and redeeming his unused sick days.
As per the charging documents, Johnson eventually revealed that a substantial portion of the $177,256 he misappropriated was funneled into his online gambling account. He acknowledged that his gambling activities had escalated significantly on FanDuel, an online gaming platform operating in Connecticut through a partnership with Mohegan Sun.
Johnson is anticipated to enter a guilty plea in his next court session scheduled for Aug. 26 at 9 a.m. at the Stamford Courthouse. He could face up to 25 years in prison along with potential fines amounting to $20,000, in addition to restitution payments.
Online Gaming Landscape in Connecticut
In Connecticut, FanDuel and DraftKings operate under a duopoly in the realm of online casino gambling. The Mohegan and Mashantucket Pequot tribes secured online gaming privileges after revising their Class III gaming agreements with the state in 2021.
The state benefits from receiving 18% of the revenue generated by DraftKings and FanDuel’s online platforms.
Well-Paid City Position
Due to his extensive tenure and residence in Stamford—an affluent city in Connecticut where the cost of living substantially exceeds the national average—Johnson had a salary exceeding $100,000 annually.
According to government records reviewed by Casino.org, Johnson’s total remuneration, including salary, bonuses, benefits, and retirement contributions, amounted to $106,804 for the year 2023.