Former New Orleans Mayor and Police Officer Charged with Wire Fraud and Obstruction of Justice

Strategic Insights -

A superseding indictment announced by the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana charges former New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell and Jeffrey Paul Vappie, a former New Orleans Police Department officer, with wire fraud and obstruction of justice. The indictment alleges that Cantrell and Vappie developed a personal relationship in 2021 while Cantrell was mayor and Vappie was on her executive protection team. The two allegedly embarked on a scheme to defraud the City of New Orleans and the NOPD by exploiting Vappie's job and Cantrell's authority to have the city pay Vappie's salary and expenses during times when he claimed to be on duty but was actually engaged in personal activities.

Key Takeaways:

  • Cantrell and Vappie allegedly developed a personal relationship in 2021 while Cantrell was mayor and Vappie was on her executive protection team.
  • The two allegedly embarked on a scheme to defraud the City of New Orleans and the NOPD by exploiting Vappie's job and Cantrell's authority to have the city pay Vappie's salary and expenses.
  • Cantrell and Vappie used a secure messaging platform, WhatsApp, to exchange over 15,000 messages, pictures, and audio clips in an eight-month period.
  • The indictment alleges that Cantrell and Vappie took steps to hide their scheme, including intimidating subordinates, harassing a citizen, lying to colleagues and associates, deleting evidence, making false statements to FBI agents, and committing perjury before a federal grand jury.
  • Cantrell and Vappie were aware that their conduct broke criminal laws, including felony charges, but continued their scheme until Vappie's retirement in June 2024.
  • The indictment alleges that Cantrell and Vappie improperly pressured the Interim Superintendent of NOPD to overrule findings of an internal investigation into Vappie's conduct.
  • Cantrell and Vappie face up to 20 years in prison and up to three years of supervised release for each count of wire fraud and conspiracy to obstruct justice.

Statistics:

  • Over $70,000 was paid by the City of New Orleans for Vappie's travel on trips with Cantrell.
  • More than 15,000 WhatsApp messages were exchanged between Cantrell and Vappie in an eight-month period.
  • 50 pictures, including screenshots of correspondence with Vappie, were concealed by Cantrell from the grand jury.
  • The indictment alleges that Cantrell and Vappie continued their pattern of obstruction through the rest of 2023 and 2024.

Sources:

  • Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson
  • United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana
  • Federal Bureau of Investigation
  • Department of Justice's Computer Crimes and Intellectual Properties Section Cybercrime Lab
  • City of New Orleans Office of Inspector General
  • Metropolitan Crime Commission