Cantrell’s long-demonstrated skill to sow will now test her ability to reap.
Friday, a grand jury indicted New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell and former NOPD officer, executive bodyguard, and lover, Jeffery Vappie, on 18 federal charges.
Michael Simpson, Acting US Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana, led a news conference, explaining, “They are charged with a series of fraud, obstruction of justice, and false statement offenses for their role in a nearly 3-year fraud scheme that we allege exploited their public authority and positions.”
Simpson explained, in fine-grain detail, the DOJ’s investigation into Cantrell and Vappie’s love affair that came at the expense of New Orleans residents and the integrity of its institutions.
“They embarked on a scheme to defraud the city of New Orleans and the New Orleans Police Department,” Simpson states. “The indictment further describes the many steps that Cantrell and Vappie took to hide their scheme and perpetuate their continued fraud, including using a secure messaging platform, WhatsApp.”
“They exchanged 15,00 messages, pictures, and audio clips in an 8-month period,” explains Simpson. “They also used WhatsApp to intimidate subordinates, to harass a citizen, to lie to colleagues and associates, to delete evidence, to make false statements to FBI agents, to give the government an affidavit that contained numerous false statements, and ultimately to commit perjury in front of a federal grand jury all for the purpose of distracting and impeding inquiries and investigation into their activities, including a federal grand jury investigation.”
Simpson repeatedly reminded the listening audience that what was issued was merely an indictment, and all charges still must be proven without any reasonable doubt. However, the evidence laid out was anything but threadbare.
The pricetag of Cantrell and Vappie’s many cross-country rendezvous
“While in NOLA, Cantrell and Vappie treated a city-owned apartment in the Pontalba building as their own personal shared residence and coordinated to spend time together there, engaging in personal activities, all while Vappie claimed to be on duty for the executive protection unit,” Simpson states.
“The superseding indictment also alleges that Mayor Cantrell and Vappie arranged for Vappie to accompany Cantrell on 14 domestic and international trips to maximize their time together and to engage in personal activities,” he continues.
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The speaker made clear that his team had scoured Cantrell and Vappie’s WhatsApp records, citing specific quotes.
“In their private texts, Cantrell characterized her trips with Vappie as ‘Times when we are truly alone,’” Simpsons states, adding that Cantrell explained that her time with Vappie was what ‘Spoils me the most.’”
The trips included one to San Francisco that Simpson reveals, “Vappie and Cantrell decided to extend for an extra day so they could visit a series of Napa Valley wineries. While Vappie was wine tasting on April 9th, 2020, he claimed to be working and was in fact paid for working a 15-hour day.”
Simpson fired off example after example of fraudulent activity included in the 45-page report.
“In August 2022,” he states, “Cantrell said she would, ‘Make it happen,’ meaning to have Vappie accompany her on a three-day trip to DC for a 1-hour meeting, a trip they both agreed they ‘Needed.’ Shortly after they returned, Vappie described the trip to Cantrell as 'Another leg on our journey' as he declared his love for her and their physical relationship. In total, the City of New Orleans paid over $70,000 on Vappie travel on these trips alone.”
When questioned, Cantrell justified Vappie’s accompaniment for years, claiming it was a matter of safety and a “Pivot, due to COVID,” Simpson says.
“On the same day she gave one such statement, she canceled a work trip to Miami, and instead travelled alone by plane, then bus, then ferry to the island of Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts to spend time with Vappie,” said Simpson, explaining Vappie was in Martha’s Vineyard for a conference.
Simpson explained that “This indictment does not allege that a relationship constitutes a crime. It also does not allege that the criminal activity occurred on merely a handful of discrete days or that the behavior was limited to a small series of discrete actions. Rather, it reflects the prosecution of two public official alleged to have engaged in a years-long continuing fraud scheme that used public money for personal ends by exploiting their power and authority.”
Does the DOJ believe Cantrell and Vappie knew of their crimes?
“The superseding indictment alleges that Vappie and Cantrell were aware that their conduct broke criminal laws,” states Simpson. “For example, in April 2022, an associate of Cantrell explicitly told her that spending public funds and using public resources for her relationship was illegal.”
The report shows that once Vappie and Cantrell became aware that the media had launched investigations into their relationship, they took precautions, knowing that their actions were criminal.
“After the first news stories broke in November 2022,” Simpson says, “Vappie conducted numerous searches for New Orleans area attorneys who specialize I criminal law. He researched WhatsApp’s security features.”
“In response to the subpoena, Cantrell produced a selection of responsive records, but none of the over 15,000 WhatsApp messages she had exchanged with Vappie,” Simpson states.
The DOJ report further alleges that Vappie and Cantrell continued a pattern of obstruction through the rest of 2023 and 2024.
Simpson explains, “This obstruction included pressuring the interim superintendent of the New Orleans Police Department to overrule findings of an internal investigation of finding into Vappie’s conduct. When the interim superintendent did not heed that directive, Cantrell ordered the Superintendent to reassign Vappie back to her protection detail. Months later, in a meeting Vappie attended, Cantrell informed the interim superintendent they would be replaced.”
Next stages in the Cantrell indictment process
“The superseding indictment alleges that they perpetuated that fraud scheme by taking steps to keep individuals silent, to deceive subordinates, and to obstruct investigation into their relationship, including one by a grand jury,” Simpson says.
Jonathan Tapp, Special Agent in Charge for the FBI, added, “The indictment speaks for itself and outlines just some of the information uncovered in our investigation. The full scope of the investigation will become available through the adjudicatory process.”
Simpson explained that the next stages include a formal arraignment of Cantrell and Vappie. Federal prosecutors also encourage anyone with information to swiftly come forward with details.
When asked if more indictments are a possibility, Simpson says, “I can't answer that right now. Our visitation continues. The possibilities are open. We can’t predict one way or another, and I’d be inaccurate if I said I had any sense of that. I assure you that when I said this is an ongoing and active investigation, it is.”
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