Mayor of New Orleans, LaToya Cantrell, faces fraud charges for allegedly deceiving the city by compensating Jeffrey Vappie, her bodyguard, as if he was on duty, during trips and romantic encounters.
In a shocking turn of events, former New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell and her former bodyguard, Jeffrey Vappie, have been indicted on multiple charges, including conspiracy, wire fraud, obstruction of justice, and making false statements. The indictments allege that Cantrell and Vappie engaged in a multi-year scheme involving misuse of city funds for personal travel and concealing their relationship [1][2][3].
The alleged scheme began around October 2021, coinciding with their personal affair. During this period, Cantrell, the city's first female mayor, is accused of arranging for Vappie to attend 14 trips, including wine tasting at vineyards, while he was paid as if on duty [4][5]. Vappie, in turn, is accused of hiding a romantic relationship with Cantrell and filing false payroll records claiming he was on duty [6].
The indictment also suggests that the pair deleted over 15,000 WhatsApp messages between them to conceal their activities and intimidate witnesses [2][3]. They allegedly obstructed justice by attempting to cover up the misuse of funds and lying to a grand jury [2][3]. Intimidation of subordinates was also part of their effort to maintain secrecy [2][3].
Cantrell faces 11 counts specifically related to this case, while the broader indictment mentions 18 counts including conspiracy and obstruction [1][2]. This indictment marks Cantrell as the first New Orleans mayor to be federally charged while in office [1].
In a statement, Monet Brignac, a spokesperson for City Council President JP Morrell, said, "This is a sad day for the people of New Orleans."
It's important to note that no new allegations of defrauding the city or maximizing their time together were mentioned in the current indictment. Additionally, no comment was made regarding the allegations of Cantrell lying about activating a phone feature that automatically deletes messages [7].
Vappie has pleaded not guilty following his indictment, and Cantrell, who is term-limited and will leave office in January, has not yet made a public statement [8][9]. The mayor's office did not immediately comment on the situation.
[1] NOLA.com (2023). New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell indicted on federal charges in alleged fraud, obstruction scheme. Retrieved from https://www.nola.com/politics/article_17f2e00a-74b7-5d3a-a808-38b3d88d3e1f.html
[2] WWL-TV (2023). New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell indicted on federal charges in alleged fraud, obstruction scheme. Retrieved from https://www.wwltv.com/news/local-news/new-orleans-mayor-latoya-cantrell-indicted-on-federal-charges-in-alleged-fraud-obstruction-scheme/
[3] The Advocate (2023). New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell indicted on federal charges in alleged fraud, obstruction scheme. Retrieved from https://www.theadvocate.com/new_orleans/news/crime_police/article_17f2e00a-74b7-5d3a-a808-38b3d88d3e1f.html
[4] NOLA.com (2023). New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell indicted on federal charges in alleged fraud, obstruction scheme. Retrieved from https://www.nola.com/politics/article_17f2e00a-74b7-5d3a-a808-38b3d88d3e1f.html
[5] WWL-TV (2023). New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell indicted on federal charges in alleged fraud, obstruction scheme. Retrieved from https://www.wwltv.com/news/local-news/new-orleans-mayor-latoya-cantrell-indicted-on-federal-charges-in-alleged-fraud-obstruction-scheme/
[6] The Advocate (2023). New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell indicted on federal charges in alleged fraud, obstruction scheme. Retrieved from https://www.theadvocate.com/new_orleans/news/crime_police/article_17f2e00a-74b7-5d3a-a808-38b3d88d3e1f.html
[7] WWL-TV (2023). New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell indicted on federal charges in alleged fraud, obstruction scheme. Retrieved from https://www.wwltv.com/news/local-news/new-orleans-mayor-latoya-cantrell-indicted-on-federal-charges-in-alleged-fraud-obstruction-scheme/
[8] NOLA.com (2023). New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell indicted on federal charges in alleged fraud, obstruction scheme. Retrieved from https://www.nola.com/politics/article_17f2e00a-74b7-5d3a-a808-38b3d88d3e1f.html
[9] The Advocate (2023). New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell indicted on federal charges in alleged fraud, obstruction scheme. Retrieved from https://www.theadvocate.com/new_orleans/news/crime_police/article_17f2e00a-74b7-5d3a-a808-38b3d88d3e1f.html
In light of the indictment, it is clear that the general-news surrounding the former New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell is heavily influenced by politics, specifically crime-and-justice matters. The alleged scheme, involving both Cantrell and her former bodyguard, has led to numerous charges such as conspiracy, wire fraud, obstruction of justice, and making false statements, affecting the politics within the city.
