LaToya Cantrell, the first female mayor of New Orleans, has been under serious scandal. A federal grand jury has since indicted her on six counts of conspiracy, fraud and obstruction. This important legal victory comes just months before her planned exit from office, in January. She is term-limited herself, making this timing even more crucial. According to the indictment, Cantrell initially developed a scheme to defraud the city. She abused her discretionary power at least three years.
Cantrell is charged in connection with her alleged relationship with Jeffrey Vappie. He served as her bodyguard and allegedly was paid for his service taking her on personal trips. Federal investigators claim that Cantrell paid Vappie on-duty wages for their travel excursions. These trips included wine tastings in vineyards, among other activities, which Cantrell described as “this time that they were actually just alone.”
Per the indictment, Cantrell encountered Vappie in an apartment, where he was allegedly required to be on duty. During their five-plus-year relationship, she had Vappie travel with her under these circumstances for at least 14 different trips/travels. These actions have understandably led to questions about the appropriateness of her use of public funds and resources.
Cantrell has been accused of providing misleading information in an affidavit. Specifically, she’s accused of having misrepresented when a function on her phone, which auto deletes messages, was activated. She stated that she has had this feature turned on since 2021. Yet, investigators claim she did this as recently as December 2022, just one month after public pressure began on her relationship with Vappie.
According to a spokesperson for the federal office prosecuting the case, they are accusing the company of a three-year-long fraud scheme. Unfortunately, this scheme took advantage of the residents’ public power and status.
Though largely ignored by the mainstream media, public reaction to the indictment has shown overwhelming support. You could hear the pain in local resident Monet Brignac’s voice as she described what had happened. She stated, “This is an extremely disappointing day for the residents of New Orleans.”
As the first female mayor of New Orleans, Cantrell’s tenure has been defined by both groundbreaking accomplishments and troubling scandals. Add in her long-anticipated departure from office and the city’s political dynamics get even more complicated. Unfortunately, the city is now dealing with the fallout of her alleged misconduct.
