In a wild story out of New Orleans, the longtime Democratic city’s far-left mayor, Latoya Cantrell, was indicted by a federal grand jury on corruption charges having to do with both wire fraud and obstruction of justice, charges which stemmed from her trying to hide her relationship with her bodyguard on the New Orleans police force, Jeffrey Paul Vappie II.
As background, Mayor Cantrell is the first female mayor in New Orleans’ history, and has been elected twice, with just five months to go until she leaves office thanks to the city’s term limits policy. However, she got caught in a massive corruption case involving what prosecutors are alleging was a years-long scheme to hide her romantic relationship with Vappie.
Namely, the prosecutor, Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson, alleges that Cantrell engaged in wire fraud, conspiracy, and obstruction as she tried to cover up that Vappie was traveling with her on personal trips and events, such as when they did things like meet alone in apartments and traveled to vineyards for wine tasting, for which he was paid despite being on personal excursions.
The DOJ in its press release on the matter, noted, “According to the allegations contained in the superseding indictment, while CANTRELL was Mayor of New Orleans and VAPPIE was a New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) officer and member of her executive protection team, CANTRELL and VAPPIE developed a personal, intimate relationship as early as October of 2021. From that time until VAPPIE’s retirement in June 2024, they embarked on a scheme to defraud the City of New Orleans and NOPD by exploiting VAPPIE’s job and CANTRELL’s authority as Mayor to have the City and NOPD pay VAPPIE’s salary and expenses during times VAPPIE claimed to be on duty but when he was actually engaged in personal activities, often with CANTRELL.”
Additionally, commenting on some of the specific incidents in which they were on personal excursions while Vappie was paid by the city, the DOJ provided, “CANTRELL and VAPPIE perpetuated their scheme both in New Orleans and during out-of-state trips. In both instances, VAPPIE’s activities while claiming to be on duty were conspicuously different than any other member of the Executive Protection Unit. While in New Orleans, they treated a city-owned apartment in the Pontalba as their personal, shared residence and coordinated to spend time together there, engaging in personal activities, while VAPPIE claimed to be on duty for EPU and was paid to be doing his job. CANTRELL occasionally canceled scheduled work events to facilitate personal and intimate interactions with VAPPIE in the Pontalba apartment.”
Adding yet more details on that note, the DOJ noted, “The superseding indictment also alleges that CANTRELL and VAPPIE arranged for VAPPIE to accompany CANTRELL on at least 14 domestic and international trips to maximize their time together and engage in personal activities. In their private text messages, CANTRELL characterized trips with VAPPIE as “times when we are truly alone” and what “spoils me the most.” These trips included trips to San Francisco, which VAPPIE and CANTRELL decided to extend an extra day so they could visit a series of Napa Valley wineries. While VAPPIE was wine tasting, on April 9, 2022, he claimed to work, and was paid for working, a 15-hour day.”
Further, the DOJ press release noted, “In August 2022, CANTRELL said she would “make it happen” to have VAPPIE accompany her on a 3-day trip to Washington, D.C., a trip that they both agreed that they “needed.” Shortly after they retuned, VAPPIE described the trip to CANTRELL as “another leg on our journey” as he declared his love for her and their physical relationship. In total, the City of New Orleans paid over $70,000 for VAPPIE’s travel on these trips.”
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Concluding, the statement provided that both face significant jail time and fines: “If they are convicted of the conspiracy to commit wire fraud, CANTRELL and VAPPIE each faces up to five years in prison and up to three years of supervised release. For each count of wire fraud, CANTRELLand VAPPIE each faces up to twenty years in prison and up to three years of supervised release. For the conspiracy to obstruct justice, CANTRELL and VAPPIE each faces up to twenty years in prison and up to three years of supervised release. For the false statement to the FBI, VAPPIE faces up to five years in prison and up to three years of supervised release. For each obstruction of justice count, CANTRELL faces up to twenty years in prison and up to three years of supervised release. For each count of making false statements to a grand jury, CANTRELL faces up to five years in prison and up to three years of supervised release. For each count, both defendants face a fine of up to $250,000 and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.”