New Orleans mayor and bodyguard enthusiast charged with fraud and corruption

The mayor of New Orleans and her bodyguards are charged with fraud and corruption as they use public funds to fuel alleged romantic lawsuits.

Latoya Cantrell has established a “personal, intimate relationship” with Jeffrey Vappie since October 2021, and he is part of her protection team, prosecutors said Friday.

From then until retirement in June 2024, the two were accused of claiming that Mr. Vappie actually engaged in “personal activities”, including on 14 independent domestic and international trips.

Neither Cantrell nor Mr Vappie publicly commented on the charges.

The City of New Orleans told the Associated Press that it is aware of the allegations and that the mayor’s attorney is reviewing them.

Federal prosecutors claim Cantrell and Mr Vappie used a secure messaging platform WhatsApp and its automatic reduction capabilities while exchanging thousands of messages to “make their ongoing fraud persist.”

Prosecutors said this allowed the two to cover up their relationship and the alleged illegal activities.

Prosecutors said in New Orleans they viewed a city-owned apartment as their personal, shared residence and spent time there, while Mr Vappie claimed to be on duty and pay for its protection work.

The two are said to have also been on personal trips – including going to a wine tasting in California’s vineyards – Mr. Vappie effectively “maximizes their time” for a fee of $70,000.

When asked about these trips, Cantrell had previously said that she brought a bodyguard because it was safe due to the common pandemic. Prosecutors competed for the claim and quoted her traveling alone.

American lawyer Michael Simpson said their relationship does not constitute a crime, but reflects “a year-long fraud scheme that uses its power and authority to leverage public funds to achieve personal purposes,” said CBS News, a U.S. partner at the BBC.

In an undisclosed place in their relationship, a public took pictures of Cantrell and Mr. Vappie, who was said to be on duty.

Prosecutors claimed Cantrell submitted a police report and sought restraining orders from individuals.

The two were also accused of intimidating subordinates, lying to FBI agents, and committing perjury by making false statements to the grand jury – deciding whether the charges should be filed in certain U.S. cases.

If convicted, any charge can bring years of prison sentence and a fine of up to $250,000 (£184,000).

Cantrell is a Democrat and the first female mayor of New Orleans in the city’s 300-year history, and has served since 2018. She will leave the office in January.