NEW ORLEANS -- A federal grand jury indicted New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell on Friday on conspiracy, fraud, obstruction charges in a probe into allegations that she tried to hide a romantic relationship with her bodyguard. The indictment is the culmination of a long-running federal investigation into the first female mayor in the city’s 300-year history. Her bodyguard, Jeffrey Vappie, has pleaded not guilty following his indictment on charges of wire fraud and making false statements. He is accused of hiding a romantic relationship with Cantrell and filing false payroll records claiming he was on duty. Vappie, who retired from the police department last year, is scheduled to stand trial in January. Federal prosecutors have accused Vappie and Cantrell of exchanging encrypted messages thr

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