New Orleans mayor indicted by federal grand jury over fraud and conspiracy allegations

A federal grand jury on Friday indicted New Orleans' Democratic Mayor LaToya Cantrell on conspiracy, fraud and obstruction charges as part of a probe into whether she hid a romantic relationship with a bodyguard.

Cantrell's bodyguard, Jeffrey Vappie, who will stand trial for his alleged role in the scheme in January, has pleaded not guilty to all charges. He is accused of filing false payroll records that claimed he was on duty to hide his alleged relationship with the mayor.

Federal prosecutors have also accused the pair of sending encrypted messages through an app and then deleting the messages, according to the Associated Press. The relationship began in 2021, per the indictment.

“Cantrell and Vappie developed a personal and intimate relationship," the indictment reads. "To hide their relationship and to maximize their time together, Cantrell and Vappie exploited their public positions to develop and implement a scheme to defraud."

Cantrell's indictment marks the first time a sitting New Orleans mayor is facing criminal prosecution. Both Cantrell and Vappie have maintained that their relationship was strictly professional.

The mayor, who leaves office in January because she will reach her term limit, has also been criticized for allegedly misusing city funds to pay for extravagant travel.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.