Federal authorities charge New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell with alleged corruption in an ongoing probe
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell faced a significant setback on August 15, 2025, as she was indicted on 18 felony counts, including conspiracy, wire fraud, obstruction of justice, and making false statements. The charges stem from an alleged multi-year scheme involving Cantrell and her former bodyguard, Jeffrey Vappie, who is also her accused romantic partner.
The indictment, returned by a grand jury on Friday, accuses Cantrell and Vappie of conspiring to defraud the city by charging for Vappie's security services during times he was not working but instead engaged in personal activities with Cantrell, including travel expenses. The investigation, which spanned about three years, focused on obstructing justice, payroll fraud, conspiracy, and making false declarations before a grand jury.
The pair is accused of taking steps to conceal their actions, including lying to federal investigators and intimidating witnesses via secure messaging apps like WhatsApp. The indictment states that they exchanged 15,000 messages, pictures, and audio clips in an eight-month period.
Cantrell, who is the city's first female mayor in its 300-year history, developed a personal and intimate relationship with Vappie, who served on the New Orleans Police Department's executive protection unit from May 2021 to April 2024. Vappie accompanied Cantrell on 14 domestic and international trips to maximize their time together.
One example of the alleged fraud occurred during a working trip to San Francisco in April 2022, where the pair stayed an extra day to visit Napa Valley wineries. During this time, Vappie claimed to have worked 15 hours, while the city spent $70,000 for his trips.
Vappie is already facing charges of wire fraud and making false statements, and has pleaded not guilty. Cantrell's legal team is still reviewing the indictment, and her lawyer had no comment when the news broke.
New Orleans City Council President JP Morrell offered prayers for Cantrell and her family, stating, "This is a sad day for the people of New Orleans." Morrell's sentiments were echoed by Michael Simpson, an acting U.S. attorney with the Eastern District of Louisiana, who said at a news conference that the pair's three-year fraud scheme exploited their public authority and position.
Cantrell's second term has been turbulent, including surviving a recall effort in 2022. She is in her last term as mayor and is set to leave office in January. The ongoing investigation also highlights the use of encrypted communication to coordinate and conceal the scheme.
[1] https://www.nola.com/politics/article_191a1098-692d-5f5b-825d-35a336519175.html [2] https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/08/15/new-orleans-mayor-latoya-cantrell-indicted-federal-charges/ [3] https://www.cbsnews.com/news/new-orleans-mayor-latoya-cantrell-indicted-on-federal-charges/ [4] https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/15/us/new-orleans-mayor-latoya-cantrell-indicted.html
- The indictment alleges that New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell, along with her former bodyguard, Jeffrey Vappie, conspired in a crime-and-justice incident, involving payroll fraud, obstruction of justice, and making false declarations, as a part of a general-news story about their multi-year scheme.
- The ongoing investigation into Cantrell and Vappie reveals their extensive use of secure messaging apps like WhatsApp to coordinate and conceal their activities, also involving general-news topics such as conspiracy, wire fraud, and false statements.
