A former Edmonton police employee has admitted to defrauding the cadets program of more than $84,000 to support a gambling addiction.

John Alvin Jerke, 36, pleaded guilty on Tuseday to fraud over $5,000. Jerke has been fired from the city police and will be sentenced in January.

According to a statement of facts, Jerke was hired in 2003 to help run police youth programs. Jerke began submitting fake receipts in 2009 and received $84,619.93 over a two-year period.

In 2011, a volunteer began to suspect that some of the receipts were altered or forged and took her concerns to police.

Under questioning by an investigator, Jerke first admitted that about $7,000 worth of receipts were forged. Later that day, he said that the amount was more than $20,000.

The court document states that Jerke spent the money at casinos and on VLTs, and has admitted to having a gambling problem. He has not yet paid back any of the money.

Jerke's actions have also had an effect on the cadet program. The court document states that the group has been left with $20,000 in debt.

The Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission has made the group ineligible to receive gaming revenues because of problems with its accounting.