More subpoenas issued in federal investigation into New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell

quote:

---

A third businessman who contributed money to Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s political campaigns has been contacted by federal investigators in recent weeks, in another sign that the probe into the mayor is intensifying.

The businessman, a developer in the French Quarter, received a federal grand jury subpoena seeking texts and other documents related to his discussions with Cantrell about the possibility of her renting an apartment from him, according to two sources with knowledge of the subpoena.

---

quote:

---

One of the sources also said the FBI has separately approached several hoteliers about whether Cantrell or a member of her NOPD security detail, Jeffrey Vappie, ever stayed in their properties.

Vappie’s wife has accused him in a divorce filing of having an affair with Cantrell, and an internal NOPD investigation found Vappie spent hours on the clock alone with Cantrell inside the Pontalba apartment.

---

quote:

---

The businessman that Cantrell apparently sought to rent from is at least the third person subjected to questioning by federal investigators about their interactions with the mayor in the last few months, according to two other sources with knowledge of those conversations.

All three people known to have been questioned by the FBI are developers who contributed to her campaigns, records show. At least one of them had directly corresponded with the mayor, by text or email, and the FBI was aware of those conversations.

---