Federal investigation into Mayor LaToya Cantrell appears to intensify

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Federal authorities appear to be stepping up an investigation into Mayor LaToya Cantrell and some of her associates.

Over the last two months, FBI agents have approached at least two local businessmen who contributed to the mayor’s campaign accounts. They wanted to know whether the donations led to any favors from City Hall, according to sources with knowledge of those conversations.

In at least one case, the FBI agents had copies of text exchanges between the businessman and the mayor, and they made reference to the texts. In both cases, the sources say, the businessmen said that they received no special treatment from Cantrell.

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The Cantrell probe is being led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Ginsberg, who specializes in public-corruption cases and who oversaw the government’s recent prosecution of state Sen. Karen Carter Peterson, a onetime Cantrell ally. Recently, another prosecutor, Nick Moses, who also focuses on corruption cases, was added to the team, according to sources familiar with the probe.

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As the FBI seeks information on dealings between Cantrell’s campaign donors and her administration, federal authorities are also focusing on Jeffrey Vappie, the New Orleans police officer who serves on Cantrell’s security team, and whose relationship with the mayor has come under scrutiny.

Vappie’s wife, in a January divorce filing, alleged her husband was having an “ongoing sexual relationship” with Cantrell. Vappie and Cantrell each have denied that allegation.

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Authorities also have continued to elicit information from Tanya Haynes, who for years served as an image consultant for the mayor. Cantrell paid Haynes and her company, Jolie Image Consulting, at least $291,059 between late 2017 and late 2022, according to her campaign finance reports.

Over the same span, Cantrell paid approximately $51,000 to two other image consultants, Nakia Cameron and Erica Warren, the records show. The bulk of that money went to Warren.

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