Mayor LaToya Cantrell to be arraigned Wednesday
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Mayor LaToya Cantrell is expected to enter a "not guilty" plea Wednesday to federal charges accusing her of defrauding the city of more than $70,000.
Why it matters: This marks the first time a sitting New Orleans mayor has been indicted.
The big picture: Cantrell is scheduled to go before Magistrate Judge Karen Wells Roby at 2pm, WWL reports.
- She's expected to enter a plea with her attorney Eddie Castaing and the judge will decide about a bond.
- Dane Ciolino, an attorney and Loyola Law School professor, told Verite's Aliana Mediratta the judge is likely to place restrictions on Cantrell's travel as part of her release.
- Options could include surrendering her passport or having to get a judge's approval before any trips, which he surmises will be "liberally granted to her."
Zoom in: Castaing tells Axios that Cantrell will be in court for the arraignment, but he declined to comment further.
- The mayor's office previously released a statement, saying they would refrain from commenting about the charges.
Catch up quick: The federal prosecutors accuse Cantrell and her former bodyguard, now retired NOPD officer Jeffrey Vappie, of having the city and NOPD pay for his salary and expenses when he was spending personal time with Cantrell but claiming to be on duty.
- The alleged relationship isn't the crime, said Michael Simpson, the acting U.S attorney for the eastern district of Louisiana. The crime, he said at a press conference last month, is two public officials allegedly engaging in a years-long scheme to use public money for personal gain.
- The personal relationship and the alleged scheme started in October 2021 and ended at Vappie's retirement in June 2024, according to the court documents.
- Cantrell and Vappie have previously denied having a romantic relationship. They have not commented on the most recent charges.
How it works: Vappie is also scheduled to appear Wednesday. His trial is set to start in January, according to Kelly Hite with Biz New Orleans.
- Cantrell's arraignment will be followed by the standard legal proceedings — discovery, pretrial motions and possibly plea negotiations.
- She's unlikely to go to trial before her term ends in January 2026, legal experts say.
Zoom in: The indictment has already had some fallout.
- Cantrell is suspended from signing federal contracts, according to a strongly worded letter from the secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
- Political insiders don't think it will have much impact on the city though, writes Sophie Kasakove with the Times-Picayune, because the chief administrative officer can sign instead.
- The head of the Housing Authority of New Orleans reiterated that message to the council last week too, Mediratta writes.
What's next: Cantrell faces 11 charges and Vappie faces 15.
- Each charge carries a maximum sentence of between five and 20 years in prison, in addition to some fines.