美国路易斯安那州新奥尔良市市长拉托亚·坎特雷尔，上周被联邦大陪审团以18项罪名起诉，指控包括共谋、电信欺诈以及向大陪审团作伪证。这是新奥尔良市历史上首次有现任市长面临联邦刑事指控。

New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell was indicted Friday on conspiracy, fraud and obstruction charges, less than five months before she leaves office due to term limits. The first female mayor in New Orleans' 300-year history has now become the city's first mayor to be charged while in office.



这次起诉源于联邦政府对坎特雷尔涉嫌滥用公共资金和资源的长期调查。检察官称，坎特雷尔与其贴身警卫、新奥尔良警局警员杰弗里·瓦皮合谋欺诈政府，并在调查过程中误导执法人员。具体细节尚未公开，但起诉内容显示，两人疑似利用市长职位谋取私利。

Cantrell's bodyguard, Jeffrey Vappie, was already facing charges of wire fraud and making false statements. He's pleaded not guilty. A grand jury returned an 18-count indictment Friday that added Cantrell to the case.

尽管指控罪名严重，坎特雷尔目前仍保留职务，但已成为全国舆论焦点。一旦罪名成立，她将面临多年监禁及最高25万美元罚款。



起诉书披露，坎特雷尔自2021年10月起与瓦皮发展“私人亲密关系”，当时她仍处于婚姻关系中，而瓦皮是其安保团队成员。直到瓦皮于2024年6月退休，两人被指多次对外谎称瓦皮“正在值班”，实则在坎特雷尔名下的一处豪宅内从事“私人活动”。

此外，两人还被控进行14次国内外旅行，花费逾7万美元，全部由市政府公款支付。面对审计部门质疑，坎特雷尔辩称疫情期间需要“额外安保”，但审计人员指出，她在同一时期多次独自出席公共活动。

In 2021, "Cantrell and Vappie developed a personal and intimate relationship. To hide their relationship and to maximize their time together, Cantrell and Vappie exploited their public positions to develop and implement a scheme to defraud" the city, the indictment states.

They met in an apartment while Vappie claimed to be on duty, and she arranged for Vappie to attend 14 trips, Acting US Attorney Michael Simpson said. The trips, he added, were described by her as times "when they were truly alone".

检方还指，两人通过通讯平台WhatsApp交换数千条信息，并使用“阅后即焚”功能掩盖不当关系和可疑行径。

期间，有市民曾在餐馆拍到两人亲密同桌的画面，却被坎特雷尔动用警力驱离，坎特雷尔还向法院申请了人身限制令，避免未来再与该市民近距离接触。

When a private citizen took photos of them dining together and drinking wine, Cantrell filed a police report and sought a restraining order, Simpson said.

坎特雷尔政治生涯一度顺利。她在2012年至2018年间担任新奥尔良市议员，2018年当选市长，成为该市300多年历史上首位女性市长，并于2021年成功连任。然而，如今因丑闻缠身，她也成为该市首位在任期间遭联邦起诉的市长。

坎特雷尔的丈夫杰森于2023年去世，两人育有一女。

来源：Politico 红星新闻