Ex-Bodyguard of New Orleans Mayor in Court

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Jeffrey Vappie, a former police bodyguard for New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell, is set to appear in court following his indictment on federal charges. Vappie, who retired from the New Orleans Police Department in June, faces allegations of wire fraud and making false statements regarding his employment and an alleged romantic relationship with Cantrell. His legal team has asserted his innocence. The indictment, issued on July 22, includes seven counts of wire fraud, accusing Vappie of submitting fraudulent payroll documents for time he claimed to be working in the police department’s executive protection unit while he was actually off duty. Additionally, he is charged with making false statements to the FBI about his purported "romantic and physical" relationship with Cantrell, which would breach police department policy. Cantrell, the first female mayor of New Orleans, is referenced in the indictment as "Public Official 1." Although she has not been charged with any wrongdoing, she is embroiled in a related scandal that has overshadowed her second term, which began in January 2022. The controversy intensified after a woman who photographed Cantrell and Vappie together at a restaurant filed a defamation lawsuit against the mayor, claiming Cantrell accused her of stalking. The legal battles continue as a state judge dismissed the stalking claim, prompting the woman to pursue further legal action against Cantrell and several police officers for allegedly misusing state and federal databases to gather information about her.