Jaw-dropping corruption allegations against New Orleans' Dem Mayor LaToya Cantrell are revealed as FBI continues to probe her

Fresh corruption allegations have been levied against New Orleans' Democrat Mayor LaToya Cantrell amid an FBI probe into her actions in office, sources say. 

Cantrell, 52, has been under investigation for over two years, with reports claiming she may face charges over allegations that she received gifts in exchange for firing a high-ranking New Orleans official. 

The complex probe has also seen the spotlight fall on police officer Jeffrey Vappie, who faced allegations that he was in a romantic tryst with the mayor, reports NOLA. 

Now, sources told the outlet that Vappie may also be set to face charges, potentially over being paid by the city for hours that he allegedly never worked. 

Allegations against Cantrell date back over two years, and NOLA reported that insiders with knowledge of the investigation believe she may also face charges. 

Cantrell's office did not immediately return a request for comment. 

It is unclear what exactly these charges may be, and detectives have not publicly stated that they plan on bringing charges against her. 

Vappie's resignation came after he was suspended when his wages came under scrutiny, at the same time it was alleged in Vappie's divorce filing that he was carrying out an affair with a woman named only as 'Mrs. L-C.' 

Vappie's ex-wife Danielle claimed that her husband and Cantrell had been carrying out an affair since he began working for her security detail in May 2021. 

The two were spotted dining at a restaurant together in April 2024, and when his wages were put under the microscope, it was reportedly found that he spent over 100 hours at Cantrell's apartment over a 27-day stretch. 

In 2022, Fox New Orleans also reported that Vappie spent more than five hours of his workday with Cantrell in a publicly owned apartment in the city's Upper Pontalba section, where they were often spotted together.  

Cantrell, whose husband died in August 2023, and Vappie have both denied allegations of a romantic relationship between them. 

NOLA reported this week that sources with knowledge of the case against Cantrell are also looking into accusations separate from her alleged tryst with Vappie. 

This reportedly includes a probe into gifts Cantrell allegedly received from a private building and electrical inspection contractor, Randy Farrell, which included tickets to a number of New Orleans Saints games. 

Prosecutors reportedly believe the gifts came after Cantrell fired Jennifer Cecil, the deputy director of the city's Safety and Permits Department. 

However, because Cecil was fired five years ago next month, prosecutors may need to bring charges quickly before the five-year statute of limitations runs out. 

Cantrell previously faced questions about $175,000 in payments made since 2017 from her campaign to her 'image consultant', Tanya Haynes, and her business, Jolie Image Consulting.

Cantrell, who became the first woman elected as mayor of New Orleans in 2018, was also alleged to have spent large sums on hotel trips - around the same time Vappie was also accused of spending $916 for a single night in a hotel room in Washington DC in January 2022. 

In November 2022, it was reported that Cantrell upgraded hotel bookings to stay in king suites during trips she made to Washington DC and San Francisco in January and April, potentially incurring costs of around $2,400. 

And a month earlier, Cantrell was required to pay back almost $30,000 to the city after violating its policy by upgrading her flights to first class and claiming initially that economy flights were unsafe for black women.

'My travel accommodations are a matter of safety, not of luxury,' Cantrell, who earns approximately $188,000 a year, said at the time.