A federal grand jury has indicted New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell on multiple charges, including conspiracy, wire fraud, conspiracy to obstruct justice, false statements, obstruction of justice and false declaration before a grand jury.

Cantrell is the first sitting mayor in New Orleans history to face federal charges.

“Former New Orleans Police Department officer Jeffrey Vappie is facing new charges in Cantrell’s indictment,” WDSU noted.

WDSU provided further details:

Cantrell is serving her final year in office. A new mayor will be elected in October and take office on Jan. 6, 2026.

It is important to note that a federal trial can sometimes take years before beginning, so the indictment likely won’t hinder the end of her term unless she is convicted.

ADVERTISEMENT

Cantrell, if convicted, would face suspension without pay, according to the city’s home charter.

The home charter states the suspension would remain in place until the conviction is final and all court proceedings are exhausted.

The council could then, by a majority vote, declare the mayor’s seat vacant.

If Cantrell steps down, it’s likely an interim mayor would be appointed until the election.

Should she be sentenced to prison for any crimes, that sentence likely would not take place until after she is out of office.

She could also enter a plea, which would open her up to the opportunity of negotiating no jail time.

It is also possible that Cantrell would face fines regardless of whether she pleads or if she is sentenced to a federal crime.

Cantrell could, and likely would, appeal any convictions she could face. If an appeal overturns a conviction, she could be owed back pay from any suspensions, and if still within her term, be restored all powers as mayor, according to the home charter.

A federal conviction would not impact her pension.

ADVERTISEMENT

According to WBRZ, the indictment alleges that Cantrell had Vappie, previously her bodyguard, accompany her on over a dozen out-of-state trips, falsely claiming she needed protection for safety concerns.

The indictment alleges Cantrell and Vappie developed a personal relationship in October 2021.

“To conceal their relationship and maximize their time together, they allegedly created a scheme to defraud the City of New Orleans by engaging in personal activities while Vappie was on duty and being paid for providing protection,” WBRZ stated.

More from WBRZ:

These trips allegedly cost the city of New Orleans over $70,000, not including Cantrell’s travel expenses. The station added that the indictment alleges that Vappie and Cantrell used a city-owned apartment in the Pontalba Building for personal use, with Vappie frequently spending time there while on duty.

They allegedly took several actions to impede inquiries and a federal grand jury investigation into their relationship and scheme. These include using encrypted messaging platform WhatsApp, deleting electronic evidence, making false statements to federal law enforcement agents and a federal grand jury and lying to colleagues and making false public statements.

“It’s irrelevant that it’s romance or that it’s female. What is relevant is that it is an incredible breach of the public trust. It’s an incredible betrayal of people’s confidence in their own government, and it’s a violation of innumerable federal criminal laws,” Acting U.S. Attorney for Louisiana’s Eastern District Michael Simpson said Friday.

Attorney General Liz Murrill said she will be “monitoring this matter closely.”

“New Orleans deserves leadership that is honest, accountable, and dedicated to serving the public and making the City safe, clean, and economically sustainable,” she said. “These are serious charges.”

Read the entire indictment HERE.

ADVERTISEMENT
 

Join The Conversation. Leave a Comment.