In a shocking twist of events, the Mayor of New Orleans, LaToya Cantrell, has found herself in hot water as a federal grand jury brings forth new accusations of corruption. An indictment made public recently reveals that she’s been treating her bodyguard, Jeffrey Paul Vappie II, to luxury trips all paid for by city funds, as part of their long-term romantic affair.
This indictment ties back to an extensive federal probe that has concluded with serious charges against the mayor, marking a significant moment not just for her, but for the city’s political history, as she is the first woman to hold this office during its 300 years of existence.
LaToya’s lawyer confirmed to reporters from NBC News that the charges have been filed. Among these are conspiring to commit wire fraud, obstructing justice, and lying to a grand jury.
As of now, the city of New Orleans has opted not to make any comments surrounding the indictment. A spokesperson shared that the legal team of the mayor needs time to review the documents before any further statements are released.
The investigation uncovers a romantic link between Cantrell and her bodyguard, suggesting that their closeness developed into a scheme to misuse public resources while diverting attention from their affair, especially during work hours when Vappie was supposedly on duty.
The accusations also reveal that they exchanged approximately 15,000 messages and multimedia on WhatsApp over eight months, which included attempts to intimidate others and conceal details about their dealings.
What’s more, these two have made a total of 14 trips between 2021 and 2024, funded by taxpayers — trips that ranged from work-related missions to what prosecutors allege were romantic getaways.
The total cost associated with having Vappie accompany the mayor on these travels has reportedly rocketed to around $70,000, which stemmed from expenditures related to fine dining and wine tasting activities.
Initially, Vappie faced charges such as wire fraud and making false statements. Now with the mayor stepping into the spotlight of the indictment, both could be facing serious prison time if convicted.
New Orleans has an outgoing mayor as Cantrell, currently a term-limited Democratic leader, is set to leave her position in January. The lengths of potential sentences vary, with some charges suggesting as little as five years and others possibly extending to two decades behind bars.
