New Charges Against Mayor of New Orleans LaToya Cantrell

• LaToya Cantrell has come under indictment for fraud and conspiracy.
• Her bodyguard Jeffery Wapppi already has criminal charges against him.
• The indictment is related to personal relationships and expenditures on travel.

Mayor of New Orleans LaToya Cantrell has been indicted, which is a sign of the seriousness of the allegations against her. The city council confirms that Cantrell and her bodyguard Jeffery Wapppi, who already has criminal charges against him, had personal relationships during which they used encrypted messages via WhatsApp.

Along with the indictment, Cantrell and Wapppi spent time together in hotels and apartments while Wapppi was officially receiving a salary. The travel expenses, which were paid for by the city budget, exceeded 70 thousand dollars.

Cantrell, who was elected to the position of mayor in 2017, faced criticism for her spending on travel during a time when crime rates in the city were rising, as well as due to the absence of garbage collection after Hurricane Ida in 2021. She survived a recall effort in 2022, but now she is being indicted for conspiracy, fraud, and obstruction of justice.

This indictment has become part of the ongoing history of corruption in New Orleans, where earlier other officials had already been charged. Mayor Cantrell became the first woman in this position to be indicted for criminal accountability during her term in office.

Tags: USA/Politics/Crime