Attorneys for former New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell and her former bodyguard, Jeffrey Vappie, were in court Tuesday morning for a hearing related to their fraud indictments.
The judge over the case heard arguments from the government as well as Vappie and Cantrell’s attorneys regarding evidence the federal government wants to use during trial.
The judge did not make a decision on the evidence Tuesday, but announced she would rule at another time.
This comes as Cantrell’s attorney pushed back against the evidence introduced in her fraud case involving an alleged relationship with Vappie, one of her former security guards.
Eddie Castaing filed a motion opposing the introduction of the new evidence that the government wants included in Cantrell’s upcoming trial.
The evidence includes alleged gifts from Vappie, a former NOPD officer with whom she is accused of having a relationship, as well as alleged misuse of campaign funds.
Castaing says a gold ring the government claims was a gift from Vappie should not be introduced because it cannot prove the ring was a gift.
His motion reads:
“The Government will be unable to prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the wearing of the ring by Ms. Cantrell, with permission of Mr. Vappie, constituted a gift under Louisiana law, as it was always with the condition, and understanding between them, that the ring was not a permanent transfer, or gift, and was being worn with the revocable condition that the ring was always subject to being returned to Mr. Vappie upon request, and, thus, not a delivered gift by law.”
The filing also claims allegations of misused campaign funds should not be introduced because they do not prove fraud:
“The Government offers no suggested factors as to why evidence regarding campaign funds and donors are necessary in, or relevant to, the Government’s Indictment based on concealment of a romantic relationship and public funds – this is more disparate than comparing apples and oranges.”
Castaing goes on to say the new evidence was introduced by the government to inflame and incite the jury and asks that the government’s motion to introduce it be denied.
Cantrell is facing charges of conspiracy, wire fraud, conspiracy to obstruct justice, false statements, obstruction of justice and false declaration before a grand jury.
Vappie is facing conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 12 counts of wire fraud, conspiracy to obstruct justice and making false statements to authorities.
The indictment against them alleges that in October 2021, Cantrell and Vappie developed a personal relationship and hid that relationship to maximize their time together.
Cantrell and Vappie are accused of exploiting their public positions to develop and implement a scheme to defraud the city of New Orleans.
They are accused of engaging in personal activities while Vappie was paid to be on her security detail.
Alleged gifts:
In the latest court filing, the government introduced two rings believed to be given to Cantrell by Vappie.
The rings include a small diamond ring and Vappie’s gold NOPD ring.
Court documents show that Cantrell was asked to provide all records, including gifts or anything of value, to the government on July 18, 2023, when she was subpoenaed by the grand jury.
The government said Cantrell produced a photograph of a diamond ring, but did not provide information on Vappie’s NOPD ring.
The government provided photographs of Cantrell wearing Vappie’s ring in multiple social media posts, including a post in which Cantrell is wearing the ring at her official mayoral portrait reveal before her term ended. The portrait also includes the diamond ring and the gold ring.
The government said Vappie was also asked to provide records on any gifts he gave to Cantrell and did not disclose the rings.
“To date, Vappie nor Cantrell has acknowledged the existence of the golden NOPD ring, nor have they produced any evidence, including photographs, about it in response to the subpoena,” the court filing read.
The government alleges that Cantrell continues to possess these rings and “chooses to display them prominently and publicly.”
Alleged misuse of campaign funds:
Other evidence alleges Cantrell misused campaign funds for her personal benefit.
According to court records, Cantrell is accused of using campaign funds to purchase alcohol during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The city of New Orleans was under strict restrictions at the time, and public gatherings were prohibited.
The government presented 13 instances in which Cantrell bought thousands of dollars’ worth of alcohol, including Veuve Clicquot champagne, dozens of bottles of wine and several cases of beer.
In total, the government alleges that in 2020, Cantrell purchased $8,168.46 worth of alcohol with campaign funds.
In 2021, Cantrell was accused of buying $1,500.92 worth of alcohol with campaign funds.
According to the government’s filing, an associate within her administration, Associate A, warned her through text messages that she could not use the campaign money for alcohol.
“What is it for? I have to put every purchase in our reporting system … Not sure how any of these qualify,” the message read.
Text messages showed Cantrell pressuring the associate to find a way to cover the costs.
“And then who should it go to if campaign does not qualify?? I want to make sure that money I am raising is also accommodating me while I am doing this job. Comfort is not a luxury and I am not taking advantage,” Cantrell’s messages read.
The government said in the filing that the associate who warned her about the misuse of funds was the same person who warned her about her illegal travel with Vappie in her indictment.
The government also introduced text messages outlining improper purchases for clothing and a stylist with Cantrell’s campaign funds.
According to the court filing, Cantrell’s hairstylist became her fashion consultant in 2017.
Cantrell is accused of paying the consultant in three accounts: the stylist’s personal bank account, her stylist’s hair business and a business account in the name of a consulting business the stylist opened in 2017.
The government said the payments to the stylist continued until the FBI began probing Cantrell’s campaign spending in 2022.
In total, the government claims Cantrell paid the stylist $259,559 in campaign funds and Cantrell only personally paid her $27,464.
The court filing included text messages between Cantrell and the stylist in which Cantrell admitted she had no money and needed to know how much her campaign owed her for services.
“I do not have any money. My first priority is paying you and me not knowing this was even a thing makes it more of a problem for me,” Cantrell said in the text messages. “Please let me know how much I owe you ASAP for clothes that you purchased.”
The government claims that Cantrell was not only warned by her associate but also attended the Louisiana Ethics Administration Program training specifically about campaign finance disclosures.
“At least as early as 2018, Cantrell knew that campaign funds could not be used to pay for Cantrell’s wardrobe and had to be limited to the stylist’s service,” the government said in the filing.
The government said that for these reasons, the rings and campaign spending should be included in her upcoming trial as evidence.
“The photographs discussed show that Cantrell’s obstruction was knowing, not accidental,” the filing read. “The evidence, including the brazen flaunting by Cantrell of the golden NOPD ring Vappie gave her, all while withholding its existence from the grand jury, is vital to proving the defendant’s intent.”
The new evidence will be discussed in a court hearing April 21.
WDSU reached out to Cantrell’s attorney, but at the time of this publication, had not received a response.
READ MORE:Judge over Cantrell, Vappie fraud trial will rule in the future on evidence brought by feds
