The grand jury came back with an indictment and it’s 45 pages long.

That’s a pretty long indictment. Though the grand jury wasn’t unanimous, it appears.

New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell was indicted by a federal grand jury on Friday, August 15, marking the first time in the city’s history that a sitting mayor is facing criminal prosecution.

At least 12 out of 16 jurors voted to indict Cantrell.

The mayor’s legal troubles come after more than two years of mounting criticism including; an alleged romantic relationship involving her former executive security officer, a legal battle with a New Orleans resident who took photos of the alleged relationship, a legal battle with New orleans Public Schools over a broken multi-million dollar funding promise, the indictment of a former city inspector who allegedly bribed her with Saints tickets, and frequent travel amid an ongoing jail escape and in the aftermath of a mass power outage.

The federal probe first gained traction in 2023, when Fox 8’s “Outside the Office” investigation uncovered that NOPD officer Jeffrey Vappie, who had been assigned to Cantrell’s protective detail, was spending hours with her inside a city-owned apartment while on the clock and possibly being paid for unworked time. Surveillance logs, building access records, and timestamped footage showed Vappie frequently entered the Upper Pontalba apartment while on duty.

Investigators later uncovered that Vappie may have engaged in an inappropriate relationship with the mayor while filing falsified timesheets. Vappie was placed on leave and eventually resigned.

In July 2024, Vappie was indicted on federal charges including wire fraud and falsifying records. Prosecutors allege he lied to cover up a romantic relationship with Cantrell. He has pleaded not guilty.

The indictment also includes allegations that former NOPD Interim Superintendent Michelle Woodfork was pressured by Cantrell to dismiss an internal investigation into Vappie, and her refusal to do so may have cost her the permanent position.

In September 2024, the feds indicted former city inspector Randy Farrell, who allegedly bribed Cantrell with Saints tickets and a steak dinner in exchange for the removal of city employees interfering with his permitting schemes. He is also accused of forging inspection documents and defrauding the city.

Most recently, Chief Administrative Officer Gilbert Montaño, one of the last remaining high-level members of Cantrell’s original team, announced he would leave his post at the end of August 2025.

The mayor’s spending and travel habits have also come under repeated fire. In 2022, she faced backlash for using public funds to upgrade flights to business class for international travel, defending the practice as “doing business on behalf of the city.”

The gifts just keep on giving with Cantrell…

In 2022, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell spent nearly $200,000 from her campaign account, with more than a third of those funds going toward image consulting services. Campaign finance records in February 2022 show Cantrell’s campaign paid $60,000 to Jolie Image Consulting, owned by Tanya Haynes, and another $12,000 to Erica Warren.

Haynes allegedly told store employees she was purchasing clothing for the mayor to wear at public events like Essence Fest and a 2018 royal visit.

And on, and on.

Cantrell is the first New Orleans mayor to get indicted while in office, though Ray Nagin was indicted and convicted of corruption charges after his second term ended. So that’s two of the last three New Orleans mayors to get in legal trouble, and frankly it’s more than a little shocking Mitch Landrieu never had to face the federal music either.

It’s a city crooked even by the standards of the big blue burgs. Always has been. But Cantrell is so sloppy and unsophisticated, and her corruption is so petty and unstrategic, when it’s easier to get away with far more theft and graft than she even contemplated, that it almost feels unfair that she’s going to get buried under a federal prison somewhere.

Almost, that is. Not quite.

Anyway, Happy Friday to everybody but LaToya.