The Democrat mayor of New Orleans, LaToya Cantrell, is currently under FBI investigation for allegations of an ‘ongoing adulterous affair’ with Jeffrey Vappie, the former head of her police detail, and potential misuse of taxpayer funds, according to the Daily Mail.
The FBI is scrutinizing the mayor’s actions, including her time spent with Vappie on city property and during personal trips funded by the government.
Security footage has allegedly captured Mayor Cantrell and Vappie spending extensive periods together in a city-owned apartment during work hours, raising questions about the nature of their relationship.
Photo: fox8live
This revelation comes amidst an investigation into Vappie’s work hours and activities.
Last year, Vappie was accused of multiple incidents of timesheet discrepancies while serving on Mayor Cantrell’s security detail. This accusation partly stemmed from WVUE-TV’s reports on the mayor’s use of an Upper Pontalba apartment on Jackson Square. In response, the City Council prohibited the mayor from using the apartment as a personal residence.
According to the New Orleans Advocate, the investigation by the New Orleans Police Department concluded that Vappie breached departmental regulations by logging 18 hours of work in a single day. Additionally, he was cited for spending “numerous hours” in the company of Mayor Cantrell beyond his scheduled duty hours, and for participating in two board meetings as the mayor’s appointee on the Board of the Housing Authority of New Orleans.
The allegations have been fueled by Danielle Vappie’s divorce filings, which imply an affair between her husband and Cantrell dating back in May 2021, coinciding with the start of Vappie’s tenure on Cantrell’s security detail.
Local media have identified “Mrs. L.C.” mentioned in these filings as Mayor LaToya Cantrell, who, in 2018, became the first female mayor of New Orleans, a city that has seen a significant rise in its murder rate during her tenure.
Rafael Goyeneche of the anti-corruption Metropolitan Crime Commission has drawn parallels to the scandal involving former Nashville Mayor Megan Barry, who, along with her bodyguard, faced charges for the misuse of city funds and ultimately resigned.
Like Barry, Cantrell’s situation involves alleged misuse of city resources for personal benefit, including trips and time spent with her bodyguard.
The FBI’s interest suggests a possible extension of the allegations to federal offenses. Previously, Cantrell faced scrutiny over $29,000 in first-class flights, an issue separate from the current investigation.
The AP reported, “The Louisiana Board of Ethics charged Cantrell under a state law that prohibits public officials from receiving anything of value for their official duties. The board alleges Cantrell improperly received nearly $29,000 worth of first-class upgrades for 15 flights — 13 domestic and two international trips — over two years.”
Cantrell has reimbursed the city for some of these expenses but maintained that the upgrades were necessary for health and safety reasons.
Cantrell, on her part, has vehemently denied the allegations of an affair, emphasizing her commitment to her duties as Mayor.
In a press conference held in January 2023, she expressed frustration over the rumors circulating about her personal life, attributing the claims to sexism and racism.
“As I’ve stated, you know, based on the false allegations that come my way, by the time I finish this job, literally, you know, accused of sleeping with half the city of New Orleans, both genders and all pronouns,” she said during the press conference.
In a text to a Times-Picayune reporter, Cantrell wrote, “By the time I complete my tenure as mayor, I would have slept with half of the city of New Orleans based on false accusations that come my way sometimes daily. This is only one of them. If I were a MAN, you would NOT be texting me about this bullshit.”
The controversy intensified after it was revealed that Mayor Cantrell took Vappie to a climate action event in Dubai this past December.
While most of Cantrell’s expenses, amounting to $24,000, were covered by a mayoral group, Louisiana taxpayers were billed for Vappie’s airfare, hotel, and other expenses, totaling approximately $14,000, the New York Post reported.
This expenditure is now under scrutiny, given the nature of Cantrell and Vappie’s relationship and the limited delegation size.
The post Another Sex Scandal: New Orleans Democrat Mayor LaToya Cantrell Faces FBI Investigation Over Alleged Relationship with Her Married Bodyguard and Misuse of Taxpayer-funded Dubai Trip appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.