The Bodyguard: Indictment of New Orleans Mayor Latoya Cantrell

0:00 Hey everyone, and welcome back to Exposed Scandalous Files of the Elite. I am your host, Jim Chapman, and I don't have a series titled Bad Mayors, but if I did, the subject I am covering today would for sure be an episode. Now today, I'm going to cover the indictment of New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell. This came out on August fifteenth, and she was indicted by the federal government, which, as I've told you so many times in the past, especially with the Ditty trial, the FEDS have a ninety five percent conviction rate. If you're indicted by the Feds, you are likely to get convicted of something. Now, Diddy escaped the most major of charges in his indictment, but he did get convicted of a couple things. And speaking of that, his sentencing coming up in early October. I think he's going to get the max. That's my thoughts on that. But we're going to bring you back to the subject of today. That's LaToya Cantrell. And for those of you that are unfamiliar, she is the mayor of New Orleans, longtime mayor of New Orleans, and it ain't looking good for her. I have a pretty interesting connection to that case, which when we get to that point, I'll tell you a little bit about that as well.

1:23 But for now, let's get into what is alleged by the United States Government against New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell. And it's important to note that the co defendant in this case is a guy by the name of Jeffery Vappi. Now he was Cantrell's bodyguard. And keep in mind this is a criminal indictment, not a civil case, and it reads as follows. As Mayor LaToya Cantrell received physical protection from the n OPD, the New Orleans Police Department's executive protection the co defendant, Jeffrey Paul Vappi the second served as a member of that executive protection unit and was assigned to provide protection for Cantrell from honor about May twenty third of twenty twenty one to November ninth of twenty twenty two, then again from June twenty second of twenty twenty three to April twenty second and twenty twenty four.

2:23 In or around October of twenty twenty one, Cantrell and Vapi developed a personal and intimate relationship to hide their relationship from detection and to maximize their time together, Cantroll and Vappy exploited their public positions to develop and implement a scheme to defraud the City of New Orleans and the NOPD by engaging in personal activities while Vappy claimed to be on duty and was paid for providing protection for Cantrell. As part of their scheme, Cantroll and Vappy arranged for Vapy to a company can trail when she traveled outside of the state of Louisiana on official business.

3:05 Cantrell falsely claimed she needed protection from members of the Executive Protection Unit while traveling due to safety concerns. Cantrell and Vappy orchestrated out of state trips to maximize their opportunities and engage in personal activities. In total, Vappi's trips with Cantraill costs the City of New Orleans over seventy thousand dollars, separate from Cantrell's own travel costs. Aware of their conduct and knowing that it violated rules, policies, and procedures, Cantrell and Vappy attempted to distract and impede inquiries and investigations, including a federal Grand jury investigation about the true nature and circumstances of their relationship and their scheme to defraud.

3:52 They did this by using an encrypted messaging platform, intimidating and punishing subordinates, lying to colleagues, anders, making false public statements, harassing a private individual. And that's the connection that I have to all of this that I'll get into later. Who took pictures of them in public together, deleting electronic evidence, making false statements to federal law enforcement agents, authoring an affidavit signed under oath and penalty of perjury that contained false information, and testifying falsely while under oath before grand jury. Then it goes into what the Executive Protection Unit is. The NPD was an agency of the City of New Orleans, a local government municipality within the state of Louisiana. Located in the Eastern District of Louisiana. NPD was the primary local law enforcement agency for the City of New Orleans and divided its operations geographically into eight districts. NPD fell under the authority of the Superintendent. The superintendent served at the pleasure of the Mayor of the City of New Orleans, LaToya Cantrell. The Old Leans Pair of Sheriff's Office was a law enforcement entity in the City of New Orleans as well in the City of New Orleans employed in the Executive Protection Unit for the purpose of providing security and risk mitigation for select high ranking City of New Orleans personnel. Approximately four members of the Executive Protection Unit,

5:22 each of whom was a law enforcement officer employed by NPD or Orleans Pair of Sheriff's Office provided protection for the mayor, and they were split into two teams, Team A and Team B, and each of those teams had two members each. The two Executive Protection Unit teams were organized to provide protection for the mayor on a preset rotating schedule, So it tells you a little bit about what they did, and it goes on to say Executive Protection Unit did not typically provide protection to the residents of the mayor when the mayor was elsewhere in the course of their duties. Executive Protection Unit members rarely entered the mayor's residence on such occasion. The EPU members only spent a brief period inside of the mayor's residence. Even when extenuating circumstances arose, EPU remained outside the mayor's residence when providing protection. Now, why they hammering down on that.

6:20 I'll bet you as we go along, that PI was in a residence a lot. EPU members were paid bi weekly by the City of New Orleans at regular and overtime hourly rates. EPU employed by npds submitted their individual time work to a sergeant on a regular basis. NPD relied on the contents of certified time cards to determine the amount it paid EPU members. When an EPU member traveled on official business, he was eligible to receive a daily allowance for meals and incidentals. After returning from a trip, the EPU member completed a trivel expense form and submitted it to the mayor for review and approval. After the mayor approved a trivial expense form, the City of New Orleans issued the payment to the EPU member. So in this case, you've already figured out she's accused of doing some pretty illicit things with her bodyguard who was an employee of the NPD, and she was the one that approved basically his timesheet and his expense sheet. So think about that. To tell you a little bit about the bodyguard. Defendant, Jeffrey Paul Vappi the second was an adult resident of New Orleans. He was employed as an officer with NOPD from April of nineteen ninety seven to June of twenty twenty four, So a good long run there a miss thirty years. In and around August of twenty twenty three,

7:52 Vappy was promoted to the rank of senior police officer. Vappy maintained financial accounts at JP Morgan In it lists the account numbers. Vappi received payments from his work with n FPD via direct deposit. He was assigned to serve as a member of EPU from May twenty third, twenty twenty one to November of twenty twenty two. He then was injured, unable to work and placed on sickly. Then he was reassigned from June of twenty twenty three to April of twenty twenty four to that unit once again, and he attended trainings concerning best practices, techniques and ethics for providing protection, security and risk mitigation. Now let's talk about those of you that may not be familiar with LaToya Cantrell, the mayor of New Orleans. She was elected to serve a four year term for mayor on November of twenty seventeen. On November of twenty twenty one, she was re elected to a second and final four year term as mayor of the City of New Orleans, and during her tenuere as mayor, Cantrell received city paid protection from EPU. Typically, on the preceding afternoon or evening, a member of Cantrell's staff would circulate a document via email that contained can Traill's schedule and the members of the EPU that would be on duty for Cantrail the next day.

9:17 The email recipients included Cantrell, the members of the EPU, and various members of Cantreill's staff. Honor about March twenty second of twenty twenty two, Cantrell appointed Vappy to serve as a member of the Housing Authority of New Orleans Board of Commissioners. Some people are looking at that as a favor that she made for Vappy because of their relationship personal correspondence between Cantrell and Vappy. WhatsApp was a free, end to end encrypted selling or phone service that allowed users to send text, voice message, and video messages, make voice and video calls, share images, documents, userl locations, and other content. WhatsApp was known for its security features. It is it's an app that supposedly you can't get into.

10:10 You're gonna find out that there's no app, no encryption app out there that people can't get into. You're gonna discover that, but we'll move on. In or around February of twenty twenty two, Vapian Contrail began using WhatsApp as their primary means of exchanging messages. Well, okay, I mean she is a mayor, he is her bodyguard. Maybe they're communicating and they don't want someone outside of you know, people with good intentions to be able to get into their messaging system. Eh, not quite between In or around February twenty twenty two. In October of twenty twenty two, Vapian Contrail exchanged over fifteen thousand messages via WhatsApp. That's a lot more than are you working tomorrow? Right? Then it gets into the travel of Mayor LaToya Cantrell. Approximately five months after Vappy joined EPU and started providing security protection for Cantrell, Cantrell began arranging for a member of the EPU to accompany her on out of state trips that required domestic or international air travel. Enter Around twenty twenty one, Vappy accompanied Cantraill to Scotland. Fappy would later reminisce in a WhatsApp message to Cantrell about that Scotland trip and that was quote where it all started. How about that. In an interview with a local television station recording on or about September thirteenth, twenty twenty two, Cantrell

11:40 justified having an EPU team member accompany her on trips outside of the state of Louisiana as being quote due to COVID and absolutely tied to my health and well being, she said. In separate statements, Cantrell explained that her travel accommodations were a matter of safety, not log and that as all women know, our health and safety are often disregarded and we are left to navigate alone. And right there is about the best example you could ever come up with for gas lighting. Notwithstanding her justification for needing EPU members to accompany her, Cantrell continued to travel outside of the state of Louisiana without EPU. For example, enter around June of twenty twenty two, Cantrell traveled to an event in New York without EPU because Vappy was supposed to go but could not due to an injury on her About September thirteenth of twenty twenty two, Cantrell canceled a work trip to Miami, Florida, where she was scheduled to attend a fall leadership meeting of the United States Conference of Mayors. Instead, At approximately the same time that she canceled the Miami trip, Cantrell booked a personal trip in which she traveled alone from New Orleans to Martha's Vineyard via commercial airplane, commercial bus, and public ferry to spend time with Thatapy while he attended a conference paid for by the City of New Orleans related to his

13:11 position on that border Commissioners that I told you she appointed him to enter. Around September of twenty twenty one and March of twenty twenty four, while perpetrating to serve on duty as a member of EPU, Vappia Company, Cantrell on at least fourteen trips outside of the state of Louisiana, including two domestic destinations such as La Orlando, San Francisco in Washington, d C. As well as international destinations such as Scotland and the United Arab Emirates. Unbelievable. You know how expensive the United Arab Emirates is. Wow. The City of New Orleans incurred more than seventy thousand dollars in cost related to Vappi's purported work related trips outside of the state of Louisiana with Cantrell, including meals, lodging, incidental salary in travel. For example, in April of twenty twenty two, Vappian Cantrail traveled from New Orleans to San Francisco for the stated purpose of Cantrell attending an environmental law conference that began on April sixth of twenty twenty two and ended on April eighth. As a result of that April twenty twenty two trip to San Francisco, the City of New Orleans and curt expenses for Vappy and Cantrail of over nine thousand dollars, including paying Vappy approximately sixteen hundred dollars in salary in overtime. Onor about August twenty first of twenty twenty two, Vappian Cantreil traveled from New Orleans

14:43 to Washington, d C. For the stated purpose of can Treill, meaning for one hour with a representative of the US Department of Justice. As a result of that trip, the City of New Orleans and curt expenses for vappying Cantrail of every three thousand dollars, including paying Vay approximately one thousand, one hundred and eighteen dollars in salary in over time honor. About September twenty eighth of twenty twenty two, Vapian Cantrail traveled from New Orleans to Atlanta, Georgia, for the stated purpose of Cantreil attending a one day conference Honor. About September of twenty twenty two, Vappian Cantreill traveled from Atlanta to LA for the stated purpose of Cantrail attending a Global Green Community Lower ninth Ward sponsor launch event. Cantrell paid approximately seven hundred and sixty two dollars to upgrade Vappy seat the first class on the return flight to New Orleans Honor about September thirtieth, twenty twenty two, using her personal American Express card. As a result of that trip, the City of New Orleans incurred expenses for Vappian Contrail of over five thousand dollars, including paying Vappy approximately fourteen hundred dollars in salary. Then they get into an apartment situation called the Pontalbo Apartments. The City of New Orleans owned the apartment unit five point thirty B in the Pontalba building in the French Quarter of New Orleans until in or around March of twenty twenty four. The mayor

16:14 had access to that apartment. Not later than about mid twenty twenty two, EPU members treated the Pontalba apartment in a manner similar to Cantrell's personal residence, including not providing protection for Cantrell while she was inside that apartment during shiffs of Vappy claimed to be on duty for EPU. He frequently spent time inside that apartment, both with Cantreill and alone. On or about November of twenty twenty two, local New Orleans media outlets first published and broadcast reports regarding Vappy in his frequent and lengthy presence inside the apartment.

16:54 Aligned with Cantrell, Dappy was removed from the EPU and reassigned to another position within NOPD from honor around November of twenty twenty two until June of twenty twenty three. On November of twenty twenty two, vappi conducted numerous online searches for attorneys who specialize in the practice of criminal defense in the greater New Orleans area, including using the names of several attorneys and quote female defense attorney near me. On multiple occasions, including January of twenty twenty three, can Trell made public statements in which she denied having a romantic relationship or physical one with Vappi. On June of twenty twenty three, the interim Superintendent of NPD formally sustained the findings of an internal investigation that concluded Fappy committed misconduct as a member of the EPU. Shortly before doing so, the superintendent notified Cantrell of the superintendent's intent to sustain the proposed finding. In or around late June of twenty twenty three, Cantrell dicted the interim superintendent to reassign Vappy back to the EPU. Acting on Cantrell's direction, on June twenty second of twenty twenty three, the interim superintendent did so. Then, on September eleventh of twenty twenty three, Cantrell informed the superintendent during an in person meeting that the superintendent would not become the permanent superintendent of NOPD. Vappy attended that meeting.

18:27 On September twenty second, twenty twenty three, the interim Superintendent's ten year ended beginning honor. About April fifteenth of twenty twenty four, local New Orleans media outlets published and broadcast reports of Vapian Control dining and consuming alcohol together during times Vappy claimed to be on duty. These reports included photographs of Vappian Cantrail engaged in personal activities in public that were taken by a New Orleans resident. And I'm gonna stop it right there, just for a second, and then we'll get back to it. That's my connection. So I'll tell you a quick story about a year ago, a lady from New Orleans contacted me. I'm not going to say her name. I don't know if she wants me to, so I'll keep it out of here. But she contacted me and she said she wanted to start a podcast. That she was a kind of a public figure in New Orleans, very well versed on New Orleans, lived in a very ritzy apartment community in New Orleans.

19:33 A parent that this lady was wealthier, had some wealth to her, definitely hung out with some players in New Orleans and still does, according to what I see on Facebook of her. But she wanted to start a podcast, and somebody referred her to me, so I said, well, tell me what your podcast is going to be about, and she said, well, I'd like to start a podcast that centers around New Orleans and all of the you know, wonderful things. It's a wonderful city in a lot of ways, very historic. She wanted to feature of the French Quarter in it, something that sounded like a pretty good podcast to do. And she says, I also have another connection.

20:14 I said what's that? And she said, I'm being sued and I'm also suing the mayor of New Orleans, LaToya Cantrell. And I said for what, and she said, well, I had taken some pictures of her while she was eating with her bodyguard on like a courtyard of that apparently that apartment complex that I've already mentioned in here. And she said, you know, I posted these pictures. She's not a fan of the mayors, to put it playing simple, and wasn't a fan before this, but she had put these pictures on there because she knew that being Cantrell sure seemed pretty close while they were eating or drinking or whatever they were doing on that balcony. Cantrell found out about I did, and we'll get into some of the harassment that she allegedly did. But long story short, I told this lady I would have loved to have done it. The problem was the time for me. I was doing another podcast at this time called Real Life for a Crime Daily, and we were recording that four days per week. We were recording it two days per week, but it was posting four days per week, and my company, Envision Production, was producing it, so that all the editing, all of that stuff was in my lap pretty much.

21:35 I just didn't have time to take on anything else at that particular point in time. But interesting that here I was a year later and I was reviewing this lawsuit and look what popped up. Funny how life works. But we'll move on on her. About April twenty second of twenty twenty four, Vappy was again removed from the EPU and reassigned to another position within the NPD Honor. About May ninth of twenty twenty four, Cantrell filed a police report that included non public information and characterized the behavior of the New Orleans resident who took pictures the lady I was speaking with a Vappian Cantrell together as menacing to the point that Cantrell was concerned for her safety honor. About May tenth of twenty twenty four, Cantrell filed a petition for protection from stalking or sexual assault concerning the New Orleans resident who took pictures of Cantrell and Vappy, claiming that the resident had arrested Cantrell and was risking Cantrell's safety honor. About June twenty ninth of twenty twenty four, Vappy resigned from the NPD. Then a federal grand jury started an investigation it gets into that honor.

22:49 About July fourteenth of twenty twenty three, special agents with the FBI interviewed Vappy at his residence in New Orleans, and Vappy made false statements to them. FBI agents also served Vappi with a subpoena by a federal grand jury sitting in the Eastern District of Louisiana, and that subpoena required the production of, among other things, correspondence with Cantrell, gifts Vappi gave to Cantrell and pictures of gifts Vapi gave to Cantrell Honor. About July eighteenth of twenty twenty three, a federal grand jury sitting in the Eastern District of Louisiana issued a subpoena to Cantreill requiring the production of, among other things, communications including texts and electronic messages between Cantrell and VAPI, and documents concerning gifts VAPI gave Cantrell.

23:40 In response, Cantrell produced documents in a sworn affidavit containing false information Honor. About May thirty first, a federal grand jury issued a subpoena and this is in twenty twenty four, to Cantreill, requiring her appearance before grand jury Honor. About June twenty eighth of twenty twenty four, Cantrell appeared before a federal grand jury sitting in the Eastern District of Louisiana, was placed under oath, and she testified falsely. Then it goes into the conspiracy, beginning at a time unknown but not later than October of twenty twenty one, and continuing until June twenty ninth of twenty twenty four, the Eastern District of Louisiana and elsewhere. The defendants Jeffrey Paul Vappi and LaToya Cantrell did knowingly and willfully combine, conspire, and agree to devise, and intend to devise a scheme to defraud, to obtain money and property from the City of New Orleans under fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises. The purpose of the conspiracy included the following to convert the personal use of the conspirators' money and property belonging to the City of New Orleans and NPD, to enrich the conspirators by obtaining and retaining money and property to which the conspirators were not entitled, And to conceal the nature and purpose of the scheme, and to defraud. Manner and means of the conspiracy. The manner of means by which Jeffrey Paul Vapian LaToya Cantrell sought to accomplish the object and purpose

25:14 of the conspiracy include, among other things, Beginning not later than October of twenty twenty one, Vappian Cantrell carried on a personal and intimate relationship which Vappy and Control attempted to disguise by making Vappy's interactions with Cantrell appear to relate to Vappy's duties and responsibilities as a member of the Executive Protection Unit. Vappy submitted and caused others to submit on his behalf time cards to NPD for periods he falsely claimed to have worked, when in fact he was engaged in personal activities unrelated to work. In or around February of twenty twenty two, vappian Cantreill began using WhatsApp as their primary means of exchanging messages. Cantrell told a trusted staff members she was moving to WhatsApp altogether and had deleted our history and put him back in my phone as Vappy, but business only that being Control exchanged over fifteen thousand personal messages, pictures, and voice messages on WhatsApp to avoid detection and continue their relationship. That being ging Traill deleted messages they exchange. That being Cantrell discussed what City of New Orleans employees could and could not be trusted, what the truth was about their personal intimate relationship. When asked by fellow EPU members, Vappy denied his involvement in the intimate relationship with Cantrell, that he participated in housing authority meetings during his on duty shifts

26:47 with EPU. That being cantroll eight meals and consumed alcohol together at restaurants. During periods Vapping claimed to be working as a member of the EPU. That Being Cantrell treated the Pentaba apartment as their personal shared resonance, with Cantrell often referring to it as our apartment when message Jean VAPPI, Jim, did you see what happened in Texas today? Wait before you tell me that, Let me tell you what happened in New York. It cannot be as crazy as the case I told you about yesterday in Louisiana. You know what, we should do a podcast about it, and with that we did. Crime War Weekly covers the crime news headlines that have dominated the week. We cover trending crimes from all over the country and even sprinkle in a few globally.

27:37 Crime War Weekly is available now wherever you listen to your podcasts, simply by searching Crime War Weekly or clicking the link in the description of this podcast. That Being Cantrell frequently coordinated spending time together inside that apartment during periods Vap he claimed to be on duty. Cantrell occasionally canceled scheduled work events to facilitate personal and intimate interactions with Vappy in that apartment. They used their public positions to coordinate work trips outside the Louisiana area that he submitted and Cantrell signed and authorized his triveal expense forms.

28:22 Cantrell lied to members of news media about the reason she had an EPU member accompany her to out of state trups that be intempted to persuade the interim superintendent to exonerate him by telling the superintendent that it was the superintendent's opportunity to quote make it right. Before the interim superintendent decided whether to censure Vappy, Cantrell convened a meaning which Vappy intended, and told the superintendent that Cantrell would nominate the interim superintendent to serve as a permanent superintendent of NPD. After the meeting, Vappy invited the superintendent to to a dakery shop to discuss the superintendent's recent emotion and mitigate the superintendent's disappointment. Cantrell abused her public position to seek non public information in support of, and to obtain a temporary restraining order against a New Orleans resident my connection who photographed and shared images of Cantrell and Vapi dining and consuming alcohol together outside while Vappy claimed to be working as an on duty member of EPU.

29:28 In order to suppress and discourage inquiry into Cantrell's public behavior with Vappy that belied to federal agents who interviewed him about, among other things, his true nature of his relationship with Cantrell, Cantrell concealed and withheld documents responsive to a federal grand jury subpoena that would have revealed the true nature of her relationship with Vappy. Cantrell provided an affidavit containing false statements to the jury about whether she withheld responsive documents from production and the reason for her failure to produce materials in response to a subpoena. Cantrell lied to a grand jury about the completeness and accuracy of the record she produced in response to that subpoena.

30:13 And it goes on, and it says other acts that further the conspiracy. In furtherance of the conspiracy and to achieve the objects thereof the defendants, Jeffrey Paul Vappi, the second LaToya, Cantrell committed and caused to be committed the following over acts, among others, in the Eastern District of Louisiana and elsewhere, Honor. About February of twenty twenty two, Cantrell canceled an official meeting throughout the day to spend time with Vappy in the apartment while Vappy claimed to be on duty as a member of EPU. Honor. About February twenty seventh of twenty twenty two, Vappi caused an NPD sergeant to report that Vappi worked on duty as a member of EPU from eight o'clock am on February twenty fifth of twenty twenty two until twelve o'clock am on February twenty sixth of twenty twenty two, despite spending hours inside that apartment with Cantrell during that period, Honor.

31:12 About March third of twenty twenty two, Vappi conducted an online search for quote Nashville mayor affair and there's a reason for that as well, Honor. About March seventh of twenty twenty two, Cantrell and Vappy exchange the following messages via WhatsApp. Cantrell SF San Francisco is April sixth through eighth, that officially ends at four pm on the eighth. Do we return on the eighth and stay at the apartment or return on the ninth and Vapi wrote back absolutely. Cantrell responds absolutely on what Vappi responds on going to the apartment after the trup. Then he puts another response, Oh, I'm sorry, I got it now. Then he said, we stay and do the Napa Valley thing like you said.

31:58 Cantrell put perfect and the thumbs up Emulgi and Vappi responds with a thumbs up Emulji Honor. About March twenty second of twenty twenty two, Cantrell appointed Vappi to the ha N a board of commissioners that's a housing authority after an EPU member sent a text message to the rest of the EPU Honor about March thirty first of twenty twenty two, stating that anyone on EPU having an affair with Cantrell should stop because of the detrimental consequences that could have on Cantrell and the EPU team. How about that, I mean, can you be tell me you know I'm fucking the mayor without telling me you know I'm fucking the mayor. Anyone who out there who is having an affair with mayor can Trell needs to quit.

32:47 They email that as an email out to everyone. Can Trell and Vapi separately confronted the EPU member about the text message, and Vappi denied to the EPU member that he in control were engaged in an intimate relationship. Honor. About April fourth of twenty twenty two, Cantrell told an associate, quote, please don't accuse me. In response to a text message telling Cantrell, quote, it's a felony to have your lover paid to work and have his travel paid for by the city. The Nashville mayor had to pay back like fifty thousand and serve three years probation. She is done. Please don't let this be your path, LaToya. And that's why he was searching for Nashville affair, Honor. About April fifth of twenty twenty two, in response to an associate's text message that spending public funds and using public resources for your personal relationship were illegal, Imagine that Cantrell falsely stated that a relationship with Vappy was not about a personal relationship, it was a work relationship, and challenge your associate to quote prove to me that I am having your relationship, Honor. About April ninth of twenty twenty two, Vappi, Cantrell, and one of Cantrell's trusted staff members visited California wineries and appeared in a picture that a trusted staff member posted on a social media platform. Shortly thereafter, an associate of Cantrell's contacted Cantrell's trusted staff member expressing concern that

34:19 Vappy was in the picture and asked that it be removed. Cantrell then instructed the associate to not contact my staff, Honor. About April tenth of twenty twenty two, Vappi reported the time he claimed to have worked between March twenty seventh of twenty twenty two and April ninth of twenty twenty two. Specifically, he reported that he worked on duty as a member of the EPU from eight to eight that day and on March twenty ninth, twenty twenty two, despite spending hours inside of that apartment with Cantrell, engaging in personal activities and attending a Border Commissioner's meeting during that period. Vappy also reported that he w work the following hours during the San Francisco Trump and he actually put from April sixth to April ninth, that he worked fifteen hours a day and build the city for that honor. About April thirteenth of twenty twenty two, Vappi submitted a trivel expense form, which Cantrell later approved for two thy three hundred and ninety nine dollars and expenses related to that trump. On August fifth of twenty twenty two, Cantrell and Vappy manipulated their schedules to allow them to spend additional time together at the apartment while Vappy claimed to be on duty, including by having Vappy text his EPU partner on August fourth the following quote, Hey, and it redacted the name of the partner, but it says message from your boss,

35:51 meet us at city Hall for ten am instead of six thirty am, Honor. About August seventeenth of two, Cantrell and that Py exchange the following message via WhatsApp. Can Trell so I will have to go to DC on Monday. That Pie I know Cantrell I want to leave on Sunday. Then she writes, will you be going that absolutely? If it's possible that and it redacts the name of the subordinate in the Mayor's office didn't or rather hasn't said anything. Cantrell. Okay, Cantrell, I'll make it happen if you say it's okay, that Py.

36:35 It's definitely okay, Cantrell. Okay. Cantrell then sends a smiley face of mej Cantrell. I want to leave Sunday and back on Tuesday. That Py. Okay. Cantrell redacts the name of the subordinate in Mayor's office, has info that Pi good, got it. We need this Cantrell, boy, do we need this? Honor. About August twenty third of twenty twenty two, Vappi sent Cantroll a message via WhatsApp in which Vappy, among other things, described the Washington, d c. Trip as quote another great trip and also another leg on our journey, and told Cantrell that he loved her and their physical relationship honor.

37:23 About August twenty third of twenty twenty two, Vappy and Cantrell arranged for Vappy to replace another EPU member on an upcoming trip Cantrell was scheduled to take to Buenos Airis, Argentina, in which Vappi later described as quote a nice one Honor. About August twenty fourth of twenty twenty two, Vappy submitted a travel expense form, which Cantrell later approved for thirteen hundred and fifteen dollars and ninety cents and expenses related to the August trip to Washington, D c. Honor about September fifteenth of twenty twenty two, while Vappy was in Martha's Vineyard for a Haino trip, which is at housing authority, Cantrell and Vappy exchanged the following messages via WhatsApp. Vappy quote, Hey, baby, I'm gonna go to lunch with the guys and come be with you at the end of today's conference. Vappy then text, I'm not going on a bus tour. Cantrell said okay. Then Cantrell said good. Then Cantrell said, so that is about three thirty you will be done, and Vappy said, meaning we will get out earlier. Cantrell let me know about where for lunch to make sure I'm out of sight, and that proves she knew what she was doing was wrong. On or about September twenty third of twenty twenty two, Cantrell and Vappy discussed a public records request seeking information about Cantrell's schedule and whether a

38:55 particular local investigative reporter member of news Media one was quote on to us, Honor. About September twenty fifth of twenty twenty two, Cantrell sent VAPPI a message via what's App that stated, quote, the times when we are truly alone traveling is what spoils me the most, unquote, Honor. About September twenty ninth of twenty twenty two, during a period when Vappy purported to be on duty in the Los Angeles area providing protection for Cantrell as a member of EPU, Vappy purchased multiple alcoholic beverages and charge expenses to Cantrell's room and it shows. It actually shows both receipts and it totals almost a couple hundred dollars in drinks, Honor.

39:42 About October third of twenty twenty two, can Trail and Vappy discussed via what's app they need to be careful and to be straight and together. On October fourth of twenty twenty two, can Trail and Vappy discussed via what's app having someone perform a quote sweep of the apartment for search of recording devices. Honor about October ninth of twenty twenty two, Vappi reported that he worked the following hours as a member of EPU during a trip to Atlanta and then to La between honor about September twenty eighth of twenty twenty two and September thirtieth of twenty twenty two, for the purpose of Cantrell attending conferences, and he reported an eighteen hour day, a sixteen hour day in a sixteen hour day during that Trump honor. About October twenty fourth of twenty twenty two, Vappi submitted a trivel expense form which Cantrell approved for twenty six hundred and twenty one dollars and some change in expenses related to that Atlanta and La Trump honor. About November twelfth of twenty twenty two, after a public news report speculated about the existence of an intimate relationship between Vappy and Cantrell, Vappi conducted online searches WhatsApp and its level of security.

41:02 He's getting a little paranoid right onnor About December twenty sixth of twenty twenty two, Cantrell activated the quote disappearing messages feature for her WhatsApp communication thread with Vappy on her personal cell device, which caused all new WhatsApp messages between Cantrell and Vappi to disappear after approximately twenty four hours. Enter around October of twenty twenty two. In January of twenty twenty three, Cantrell manually deleted thousands of WhatsApp messages she exchanged with Vappi. She getting real paranoid now, Honor. About March nineteenth of twenty twenty three, after a local news media outlet broadcast additional reports about Vappy's work on EPU and his relationship with Cantrell, Vappy conducted multiple online searches concerning a member of the news media who reported about Vappy, including where does and he puts the member of the news media live And that's fucking scary. That's some bullshit right there. Basically this person is reporting this bullshit going on about you. You're gonna try to You're going to basically google their address. What were you gonna do there? Vappy Enter. Around June of twenty twenty three, Ken Traill directed the interim superintendent to reassign Vappy to EPU, and the interim super intendent complied. Honor. About July fourteenth,

42:33 of twenty twenty three, VAP he spoke with several agents in the FBI at his resident in New Orleans for over an hour, which he gave numerous false statements regarding, among other things, the nature of his relationship with Cantrell. Honor. About July fifteenth of twenty twenty three, the day after speaking with special agents with the FBI, Vappy visited the about Disappearing Messages web page within the WhatsApp website help Center, Honor. About October twenty fifth of twenty twenty three, in response to the July eighteenth subpoena, Cantrell produced a selection of records which did not include numerous records still in her possession and an affiday that signed under oath that contained multiple false representations Honor. About May ninth of twenty twenty four, Cantrell abused her position to obtain non public information and then file a police report about a New Orleans resident who took in disseminated photographs of Cantrell and VAPI together in public and that is the person that I talked to once again, Honor. About May tenth of twenty twenty four, Cantrell used the non public information she obtained to seek and obtain a restraining order against that resident honor. About June twenty eighth of twenty twenty four, Cantrell appeared under oath before a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Louisiana. She affirmed she had reviewed and signed the affidavit.

44:04 Cantrell also testified falsely that to the best of her knowledge, she had produced all documents responsive to the subpoena that were in her possession and that none had been withheld from production. And that is basically the entire thing outside of them going over the individual accounts. I'm not going to cover all of those with you. I can tell you that there are a total of eighteen counts and they get you know, they brought the freaking receipts. Let's just say that now. A couple of things that they also included in this packet is it was interesting they have on her. About March thirtieth of twenty twenty two, Vappi conducted an online search for get ready for this.

44:52 What was Whitney Houston's Character's name in The Bodyguard, which if you've ever seen The Bodyguard, it's a love story between Whitney Houston's character and Kevin Costner's character. On to about June eleventh, Cantrell sent Vappi the following images, and there were images of her wearing what appears to be a wedding ring in those pictures, or an engagement ring of some sort. And they include some other pictures that just solidify what this whole lawsuit is about. Now, to wrap this up, you may say, oh, this is a love story. Not really the problem here, And the reason for these eighteen counts isn't that these two people quote unquote fell in love. It's that the taxpayers in New Orleans were paying for it. Seventy thousand dollars to Vappy in triveal expenses and all this other bullshit time that he put in for a relationship where he was allegedly screwing the mayor of New Orleans this whole time. So they're gonna pay for that. And look, New Orleans has had its problems. I've never been a fan of Mayor LaToya Cantrell personally, so I'm not surprised about this. New Orleans has always had its issues with corruption. The former mayor of New Orleans actually did prison time before Mayor Cantrell,

46:24 So I'm glad to see the federal government trying to clean it up. Look, that's too beautiful of a city and the people there are just too good a people to be taken advantage of like this. I hope New Orleans wakes up to bad politicians like it appears. Mayor LaToya Cantrell is thank you so much for listening. We'll be back soon. Check out Crime Wire Weekly Kelly Jennings and myself. We cover the crime news headlines from all over the country and even a few from around the world. You can get that it's on its own channel, Crime Wire Weekly. Just search it wherever you're listening, and also linked it in the description of this podcast. We do play snippets on our regular feeds. You'll hear a preview if you will, on this feed Exposed, but for the full episode, there's probably about seven or eight more crime related headlines that we cover that you don't hear on this feed. But you got to get a Crime Wire Weekly and just subscribe wherever you're listening. It's completely free and you'll get your crime news fix for the week until next time. For Exposed, scandalous files of the elite I'm your host, Jim Chapman, much love,