Mayor LaToya Cantrell Indicted on Federal Charges of Wire Fraud, Obstruction of Justice, and Lying to a Grand Jury

Strategic Insights -

New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell has made history, becoming the city's first mayor to be indicted while in office, charged with multiple counts of wire fraud, obstruction of justice, and lying to a grand jury. The indictment stems from an investigation into her alleged affair with former New Orleans Police Department officer Jeffrey Vappie, who worked on Cantrell's security detail prior to his retirement from the force and has also been federally indicted. Federal prosecutors allege that Cantrell and Vappie used city funds to travel around the country together, falsely claiming that the expenditures were related to city business, and then conspired to cover it up.

The indictment reveals a vast scope of evidence, including 15,000 text messages sent between Cantrell and Vappie, where they discussed their relationship and planned travel together. Cantrell's security team deleted these messages, which were later discovered by federal investigators. The 48-page indictment outlines a complex scheme to conceal the city-funded trips and implies that Cantrell may have violated state and federal laws.

Cantrell is scheduled to appear in court on September 10 for an initial hearing and arraignment, which is likely to involve restrictions on her movement as a condition of release. Her lawyer, Dane Ciolino, believes that these restrictions will have little impact on her ability to perform her duties as mayor.

As a result of the indictment, Cantrell would be forced to step down if she were convicted of a felony. Under state law, public officials must be removed from office if they are convicted of a federal or state felony. If Cantrell were to plead guilty or choose not to contest the charges, she would face immediate removal. However, the city charter also calls for an automatic, unpaid suspension until the conviction is finalized through the appeals process.

The pastor of St. James the Greater Parish, the very Rev. Rhbn Carlisle, delivers a passionate sermon on June 2, 2014, at the March on Jackson Square. (Photo by the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office) In contrast to some of the former elected officials from other cities who have been involved in similar scandals, Cantrell has not resigned. In fact, her communications team has maintained a firm stance that she is committed to serving the city and intends to continue performing her duties as mayor.

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Key Takeaways:

  • Mayor LaToya Cantrell is the first mayor of New Orleans to be indicted while in office, facing multiple counts of wire fraud, obstruction of justice, and lying to a grand jury.
  • The charges stem from an investigation into Cantrell's alleged affair with former New Orleans Police Department officer Jeffrey Vappie and the use of city funds to travel together.
  • The indictment reveals a complex scheme to conceal the city-funded trips, including 15,000 text messages between Cantrell and Vappie that were later deleted by her security team.
  • Cantrell is scheduled to appear in court on September 10 for an initial hearing and arraignment, which is likely to involve restrictions on her movement as a condition of release.
  • If Cantrell is convicted of a felony, she would be forced to step down as mayor under state law.
  • The city charter calls for an automatic, unpaid suspension until the conviction is finalized through the appeals process.
  • Cantrell has maintained a firm stance that she is committed to serving the city and intends to continue performing her duties as mayor.

Statistics:

  • 15,000: The number of text messages sent between Cantrell and Vappie that were later deleted by her security team.
  • 48 pages: The length of the indictment outlining the complex scheme to conceal city-funded trips.
  • 11 counts: The specific charges brought against Cantrell, including wire fraud, obstruction of justice, and lying to a grand jury.
  • 1: The number of time Cantrell and Vappie used city funds to travel together without disclosing the true nature of their trips.

Sources:

  • (https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/26070712-latoya-cantrell-indictment/)
  • (https://library.municode.com/la/new_orleans/codes/code_of_ordinances/292015?nodeId=PAI_HORUCH_ARTIVEXBR_CH2THMA_S4-204VAOF)
  • (https://thelensnola.org/2022/02/23/cantrells-wisner-trust-extension-was-illegal-had-no-discernible-purpose-or-benefit-council-argues-in-recent-legal-filing/)
  • (https://www.nola.com/news/french-quarter-sanitation-fight/article_a258f4dc-a6a8-4052-86ef-bd959265c26e.html)
  • (https://www.wwltv.com/article/news/special-reports/investigation-of-mayor-cantrell/new-orleans-mayor-is-a-no-show-at-amtrak-event-after-grand-jury-indictment-latoya-cantrell-doj-politics-investigation-scandal-tourism-train/289-bc39b387-6660-47e8-9fc9-73613a3fa999)