The Democrat mayor of New Orleans Latoya Cantrell is facing an FBI probe over allegations she had an ‘ongoing adulterous affair’ with the former head of her police detail on city property.
Cantrell was seen on security cameras spending hours together with Jeffrey Vappie in a city-owned apartment during work hours. Vappie has himself been investigated over hours he was alleged to be clocking in.
Now, the federal government is reportedly looking into whether the couple abused government funds for personal trips, as the pair have been seen partying from Los Angeles to Scotland.
Vappie’s wife, Danielle, alleges that her husband and the mayor have been carrying on the affair since May 2021, the same month that he began working on Cantrell’s detail.
Multiple media outlets in the area have confirmed that a ‘Mrs. L.C.’ referred to in the divorce filings is Cantrell. She became the first woman elected as mayor of New Orleans – which overtook St. Louis as the ‘murder capital of America’ under her watch – in 2018.
![Jeffrey Vappie](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/18/03/80158883-12976333-image-a-10_1705548794488.jpg)
The Democrat mayor of New Orleans Latoya Cantrell (pictured left) is facing an FBI probe over allegations she had an ‘ongoing adulterous affair’ with the former head of her police detail Jeffrey Vappie (pictured right) on city property
Rafael Goyeneche, the president of the anti-corruption Metropolitan Crime Commission, believes the story has several parallels to the downfall of ex-Nashville Mayor Megan Barry.
Barry and ‘bodyguard’ Sgt. Robert Forrest attended 10 city-funded trips by themselves without other mayor’s office staff present, including to conferences overseas in Paris and Greece and the two to Washington, according to an affidavit.
Both pleaded guilty to theft and resigned after being ordered to pay tens of thousands in restitution.
‘Well, the similarities are that you’re talking about a police officer, that was part of an executive protection team for the mayor of Nashville, (who) was billing the city for work that he was not actually performing,’ Goyeneche told Fox8.
‘So, if he was not protecting the mayor was engaged in a personal relationship. That essentially would have been the basis of the state charges that resulted in him being charged and the mayor of Nashville being charged and ultimately resigning.
‘This would just be taking the same principles to the federal side of the ledger.’
Security footage would show Cantrell and Vappie spending hours together inside the Upper Pontalba Apartment in the French Quarter, which is owned by the city, leaving separately without any executive protection.
Cantrell has never admitted to the relationship and vehemently denied it in a press conference in January 2023.
![Cantrell was seen on security cameras spending hours together with Jeffrey Vappie in a city-owned apartment during work hours. Vappie has himself been investigated over hours he was alleged to be clocking in](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/18/03/80158855-12976333-Cantrell_was_seen_on_security_cameras_spending_hours_together_wi-a-1_1705549741195.jpg)
Cantrell was seen on security cameras spending hours together with Jeffrey Vappie in a city-owned apartment during work hours. Vappie has himself been investigated over hours he was alleged to be clocking in
![Multiple media outlets in the area have confirmed that a 'Mrs. L.C.' referred to in the divorce filings is Cantrell](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/18/03/80158863-12976333-Multiple_media_outlets_in_the_area_have_confirmed_that_a_Mrs_L_C-a-2_1705549741212.jpg)
Multiple media outlets in the area have confirmed that a ‘Mrs. L.C.’ referred to in the divorce filings is Cantrell
![Rafael Goyeneche, the president of the anti-corruption Metropolitan Crime Commission, believes the story has several parallels to the downfall of ex-Nashville Mayor Megan Barry (pictured)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/18/03/80158865-12976333-Rafael_Goyeneche_the_president_of_the_anti_corruption_Metropolit-a-4_1705549741265.jpg)
Rafael Goyeneche, the president of the anti-corruption Metropolitan Crime Commission, believes the story has several parallels to the downfall of ex-Nashville Mayor Megan Barry (pictured)
‘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 even claimed sexism, texting a reporter following up on claims that she had an extramarital affair with her bodyguard that the journalist’s interest was only because she’s a woman.
‘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,’ Cantrell told the local reporter. ‘This is only one of them.
‘If I were a MAN you would NOT be texting me about this bulls***.’
Two months later, she said that her relationship with Vappie was ‘strictly professional.’
Goyeneche doesn’t believe either risks federal charges unless there were something beyond what’s already known and alleged about the pair.
‘I think that if they do charge them with that, it’s because they believe they have sufficient evidence to meet the burden of proof to prove them guilty beyond a reasonable doubt,’ he said.
Goyeneche believes that the feds must be looking at other examples of corruption on Cantrell’s part.
This is not the first time the feds have looked into the mayor’s activities, as she previously faced a federal probe over $29,000 worth of first class flights.
In December, NOLA.com reported that the two investigations are separate from one another and still ongoing.
‘We’ll find out sooner rather than later,’ Goyeneche said. ‘This investigation is either going to result in an indictment in the near future, or it’s just going to dry up and blow away.’
Attorneys on behalf of both Cantrell and Vappie have declined to comment.
Cantrell, 51, was charged by the Louisiana Board of Ethics for using premium upgrades for 15 flights over a two-year time frame.
The charges fell under a state ethics law that prohibits officials from receiving anything of value for their public duties.
At a press conference Wednesday, Cantrell addressed what she called ‘investigations or targeting,’ which she said are ‘prevalent relative to black leadership.’
‘When I came in, even being elected mayor – even prior to that on City council – I have been the center of countless investigations,’ the mayor said.
![New Orleans Mayor Latoya Cantrell (pictured) has suggested that she's facing a federal probe over $29,000 worth of first class flights upgrades because of her race](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/11/23/16/78167159-12784581-image-m-37_1700756991271.jpg)
New Orleans Mayor Latoya Cantrell (pictured) has suggested that she’s facing a federal probe over $29,000 worth of first class flights upgrades because of her race
‘I have always complied and that’s what I’ll continue to do. I do note that this seems to be kind of prevalent relative to black leadership, and I think that I’m not exempt from that.
‘But relative to investigations, I have been in them, I have been through them and I will continue to comply whenever they come, that’s all I’ll say on that.’
Cantrell added that she has ‘no idea what’s going on’ regarding the investigation and is ‘definitely not in favor’ of the charges brought against her.
The politician also previously claimed her upgrades were not for luxury but for her health and safety – citing the threat of Covid and ‘the world black women walk in’.
She finally reimbursed the city $28,856 for the 13 domestic flights and two international trips to Europe that she upgraded in October of last year.
‘Anyone who wants to question how I protect myself just doesn’t understand the world black women walk in,’ Mayor Cantrell previously said in a statement.
Cantrell said she stands by her claims ‘all day long’ – despite ultimately reimbursing the $29,000.
But councilmembers didn’t buy these excuses and had threatened to dock her pay in the 2023 budget to recover the funds.
Her flight upgrade for a trip to Nice, France – where she attended a jazz festival and a French National Day celebration – cost a whopping $12,988 on top of the base fare of $4,666, according to court documents.
Cantrell spent $2,352 of state money on a first-class upgrade for her domestic flight from New Orleans to San Francisco – a five-hour journey.
The under-fire mayor was already in hot water after admitting to living in a city-owned apartment in the city’s French Quarter rent-free, that lies only three miles from her $500,000 Broadmoor home.
The reimbursement – which was paid by the Democrat mayor about a year ago – came after weeks of controversy and the case will likely go before the Ethics Adjudicatory Board.
Cantrell could face a $10,000 fine for using state money for her luxurious travel arrangements.
Public officials are required to seek the cheapest possible travel options – and pay the difference out of their personal finances if they opt for more expensive choices.
‘We believe both the mayor and the administration have appropriately addressed the travel issue and will respond to the ethics complaint in due course,’ Cantrell’s spokesperson John Lawson said previously.
![Cantrell could face a $10,000 fine for using state money for her luxurious travel arrangements (Pictured: Latoya Cantrell and a friend during the Mayor's Mardi Gras Ball)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/11/23/16/77718955-12784581-Cantrell_could_face_a_10_000_fine_for_using_state_money_for_her_-a-29_1700756599566.jpg)
Cantrell could face a $10,000 fine for using state money for her luxurious travel arrangements (Pictured: Latoya Cantrell and a friend during the Mayor’s Mardi Gras Ball)
Cantrell’s behavior was laid bare after the police launched an internal probe into officer Jeffrey Vappie after he was found spending time with the married mother-of-one at her grace and favor apartment in the exclusive French Quarter.
Bodyguards who spoke to the New Orleans Police Department as part of the investigation into Vappie, described Cantrell as a fiery, demanding boss who was overly familiar with her security detail, expecting them to act as her servants.
Kristy Johnson-Stokes, an officer that worked with Cantrell, told investigators they would be asked to pick her daughter up from school, take her credit card to buy gifts from the department store and water her plants.
Vappie also spent 112 hours at her apartment over a 27-day stretch, and was even seen watering her plants.
The station reports that Vappie allegedly confessed about the affair to his wife. The couple have been living apart since November 2022. At the time of publication, Vappie is no longer on the mayor’s detail.
Vappie has been a detective with the City of New Orleans PD since 1997, according to his LinkedIn page. In 2020, he received a Master’s in Government Administration.
His wife, Danielle, is the Chief Academic Officer at Einstein Charter Schools in New Orleans. According to the school’s website, Danielle is the principal.
She is a graduate of the University of New Orleans and Xavier University of Louisiana. Danielle is also a US Army veteran, serving between 1988 and 2000.
![The station reports that Vappie confessed about the affair to his wife, pictured here](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/01/18/21/66720523-11650539-image-a-39_1674077927577.jpg)
The station reports that Vappie confessed about the affair to his wife, pictured here
![Cantrell was married at the time the affair was reported to lawyer Jason Cantrell. The couple have a daughter, RayAnn, together. Jason Cantrell died in August](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/18/03/80158905-12976333-Cantrell_was_married_at_the_time_the_affair_was_reported_to_lawy-a-3_1705549741219.jpg)
Cantrell was married at the time the affair was reported to lawyer Jason Cantrell. The couple have a daughter, RayAnn, together. Jason Cantrell died in August
Cantrell was married at the time the alleged affair was reported to lawyer Jason Cantrell. The couple have a daughter, RayAnn, together. Jason Cantrell died in August.
In November 2022, it was reported that Cantrell upgraded hotel bookings to stay in king suites during trips she made to Washington, DC, and San Francisco in January and April of this year, potentially incurring costs of around $2,400.
A month earlier, Cantrell was required to pay back almost $30,000 to the city after violating its policy by upgrading her flights to first class and claiming initially that economy flights were unsafe for black women.
New Orleans city policy dictates that similar rules apply to upgrading hotel rooms.
The policy says: ‘Upgrades for hotel accommodations at the expense of the city are not permitted unless the hotel is unable to provide allowable accommodations at the time necessary to carry out the purpose of travel.
When Cantrell traveled to San Francisco in April she stayed at the Hyatt Regency SOMA where she upgraded to a king suite that cost nearly $2,000, $800 more than other city employees.
Similarly, on a trip to DC in January she stayed at the Hotel Washington and again occupied a king suite.
When Cantrell went to Reno, Nevada, in June her room cost hundreds more than other city employees who traveled, in what’s believed to be a violation of city policy.
![Mayor Cantrell breaks ground in June 2021 at a construction project at the school where Denise Vappie is the principal, one month earlier, Jeffrey Vappie joined the mayor's detail](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/01/18/21/66720525-11650539-image-a-42_1674077952758.jpg)
Mayor Cantrell breaks ground in June 2021 at a construction project at the school where Denise Vappie is the principal, one month earlier, Jeffrey Vappie joined the mayor’s detail
![Vappie and the mayor are seen leaving the Upper Pontalba Building apartment together. But she has also been pictured walking around the same area alone, sparking questions as to why she needs Vappie's services at all](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/11/18/07/64681655-11442739-image-a-29_1668755426464.jpg)
Vappie and the mayor are seen leaving the Upper Pontalba Building apartment together. But she has also been pictured walking around the same area alone, sparking questions as to why she needs Vappie’s services at all
![Hotel Washington in Washington DC where Cantrell spent nearly $2,500 on a king suite](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/01/18/21/64804785-11650539-Hotel_Washington_in_Washington_DC_where_Cantrell_spent_nearly_2_-a-43_1674077994317.jpg)
Hotel Washington in Washington DC where Cantrell spent nearly $2,500 on a king suite
![The Hyatt Regency SOMA in San Francisco where Cantrell stayed and incurred a cost of nearly $2,000. She is currently facing scrutiny after similar upgrade charges for first-class flights](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/01/18/21/64804787-11650539-The_Hyatt_Regency_SOMA_in_San_Francisco_where_Cantrell_stayed_an-a-44_1674077997119.jpg)
The Hyatt Regency SOMA in San Francisco where Cantrell stayed and incurred a cost of nearly $2,000
Cantrell’s stylist – whom she has paid $175,000 since 2017 – is also facing a possible criminal probe over the thousands she’s spent on clothes for the lawmaker.
In recent months, her administration has been dogged by allegations of misuse of funds and resources – with the Democrat leader even complaining to the Society for Professional Journalists about the scrutiny.
The journalist body found the investigations were ‘entirely appropriate and journalistically ethical.’
‘Anyone who wants to question how I protect myself just doesn’t understand the world black women walk in,’ she told a press conference. Cantrell was later shamed into repaying public funds she’d used for the luxury international trips.
Critics noticed that despite fearing for her safety on a flight to Paris, she felt sufficiently safe to walk alone around the city’s French Quarter, despite New Orleans having one of the highest murder rates in the United States.
Amid the scandal, Cantrell repaid the cash spent on her first class flights: $40,000 on a four-day trip in June to France, with her own first-class flight costing almost $18,000 while her aides traveled in economy.
‘My travel accommodations are a matter of safety, not of luxury,’ said Cantrell, who earns approximately $188,000.
Cantrell was also facing questions about $175,000 in payments made since 2017 from Cantrell’s campaign to her ‘image consultant,’ Tanya Haynes, and her business, Jolie Image Consulting.
![Cantrell is facing questions over money paid to her stylist, Tanya Haynes (pictured)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/11/18/07/64681659-11442739-image-a-30_1668755490937.jpg)
Cantrell is facing questions over money paid to her stylist, Tanya Haynes (pictured)
The payments to Haynes have generally increased over time, reaching $6,000 per month in 2021, the records obtained by 4WWL show.
Two stores where Haynes shopped – Ballin’s Boutique, where she often bought clothes for the mayor, and BC Kitchen and Bath, where Haynes recently ordered a new $17,000 kitchen – have been subpoenaed.
In May 2018, California-born Cantrell was elected the first female mayor of New Orleans, Louisiana, in its 300-year history, and Jason served by her side as a public servant.