Mayor LaToya Cantrell Indicted on Federal Charges, Marking Historic First for City

NEW ORLEANS — Mayor LaToya Cantrell Indicted on Federal Charges, Marking Historic First for City. In unprecedented development, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell was indicted by a federal grand jury on Friday, becoming the first sitting mayor in the city's history to be charged with a federal crime while in office.

The superseding indictment, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, names both Cantrell and Jeffrey Paul Vappie II—a member of her Executive

Protection Unit (EPU)—as defendants. The charges include:

• Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud

• Wire Fraud

• Conspiracy to Obstruct Justice

• Obstruction of Justice

• False Statements

• False Declarations Before a Grand Jury

• 
  

According to the indictment, Cantrell and Vappie began a personal relationship in October 2021. To conceal the nature of their relationship and spend more time together, the two allegedly devised a scheme to defraud the City of New Orleans. The charges claim Vappie engaged in personal activities with Cantrell while on duty and receiving city pay for providing mayoral protection.

The indictment outlines at least 14 out-of-state trips where Vappie accompanied Cantrell under the pretense of necessary security, despite limited or no official justification. These trips reportedly cost the city over $70,000, excluding Cantrell’s own travel expenses. In addition, it alleges that the pair made frequent use of a city-owned apartment in the historic Pontalba Building for personal purposes, with Vappie often present there while on the clock.

Federal prosecutors allege that Cantrell and Vappie attempted to obstruct the investigation by:

• Using encrypted messaging apps

• Deleting digital evidence

• Providing false information to federal investigators and a grand jury

• Misleading colleagues and the public through false statements

The indictment includes detailed accounts of specific trips and their financial impact on the city.

This latest filing follows a lengthy federal investigation that began in 2022 and was first reported by WWL-TV. In February 2024, a grand jury began hearing evidence tied to the probe. That investigation previously led to the indictment of city building inspector Randy Farrell, who was charged with conspiring to bribe Cantrell with approximately $9,000 in gifts—including NFL tickets, a steakhouse lunch, and a cell phone—in exchange for her alleged role in firing a city official investigating him for fraud.

Cantrell was also named in a 2024 indictment involving Vappie, who was accused of using his personal relationship with the mayor to improperly benefit from city resources.

This marks the most serious legal crisis of Cantrell’s tenure and places her in rare company among U.S. mayors. While former Mayor Ray Nagin was investigated during his time in office (2002–2010), he was not indicted until 2013—three years after leaving office. Nagin was later convicted and sentenced to 10 years in federal prison.

Cantrell has not yet issued a public statement regarding the indictment.