The grand jury indictment of Mayor LaToya Cantrell and her bodyguard, New Orleans police officer Jeffrey Vappie, alleges that the pair engaged in a yearslong conspiracy to spend public money on travel during a romantic relationship and then tried to cover it all up.
The 18-count indictment includes charges of wire fraud, obstruction of justice and making false statements. Federal prosecutors laid out the allegations in a 44-page document filed in U.S. District Court in New Orleans on Friday.
The allegations center on Cantrell's relationship with Vappie, who began serving as a bodyguard on the mayor's executive protection team in 2021.
Eleven of the charges deal with money paid to Vappie by the NOPD while working for Cantrell that prosecutors allege were based on fraudulent work hours and travel expenses. In several instances, Cantrell approved the expenses. Another four charges allege both Vappie and Cantrell lied to federal investigators and intentionally concealed documents related to the investigation.
Cantrell has not commented on the charges. Vappie pleaded not guilty last year to allegations of payroll fraud made in a separate indictment, but has not commented on the latest allegations.
The allegations include:
- In October of 2021, Vappie joined Cantrell on a work trip to Scotland. Federal investigators allege this trip was the start of their personal relationship and the beginning of the conspiracy to improperly use taxpayer money. Vappie later said in a WhatsApp message that it was "where it all started."
- Over the next three years, federal prosecutors say Vappie joined Cantrell on at least thirteen other trips, serving as her personal bodyguard while travelling to Los Angeles, Orlando, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and the United Arab Emirates. Altogether, the trips cost the city of New Orleans more $70,000 in expenses for Vappie's travel, which prosecutors allege was a criminal misuse of public money.
- Throughout their relationship, investigators say Vappie stayed with Cantrell at the city-owned Pontalba apartment while he reported to be on duty. Prosecutors allege he filled out false timecards and was paid while he and Cantrell shared romantic dinners, which prosecutors say amounted to wire fraud.
- Federal prosecutors say that starting in February of 2022, Cantrell and Vappie began exclusively communicating over the encrypted messaging service WhatsApp, exchanging over 15,000 messages over the next few years, and eventually used the app's disappearing messaging feature to conceal their relationship.
- Vappie and Cantrell continually provided false statements to NOPD supervisors, the mayor's office staff, the media and the public about the nature of the relationship in an attempt to obstruct justice and prevent an investigation, according to the court documents.
- On July 14, 2023, while being questioned by the FBI, Vappie told federal investigators that he never had a romantic or physical relationship with Cantrell, a statement that federal prosecutors say was false.
- On July 18, 2023, a federal grand jury issued a subpoena to Cantrell, requiring her to produce all records and documents related to travel expenses with Vappie, records of gifts given to her by Vappie and any communications between the pair. According to the indictment, Cantrell allegedly withheld several photos and phone records relevant to the subpoena, leading to a charge of obstruction of justice.
- Cantrell appeared before the grand jury on two separate occasions — Oct. 25, 2023, and June 28, 2024 — and prosecutors say she provided false statements during both appearances. They allege that she lied about her relationship with Vappie and lied about concealing documents related to her subpoena.
Cantrell and Vappie haven't commented on the allegations and haven't entered pleas. If they are convicted, the felony charges carry potential penalties ranging from probation to as much as 20 years in prison. Under federal sentencing guidelines, judges calculate recommended ranges based on the specifics of each offense, often narrowing the possible punishment.
In cases that do not involve violence, defense attorneys say, it is uncommon for defendants to receive the maximum penalties.