The federal government has barred Mayor LaToya Cantrell and her former bodyguard, Jeffrey Vappie, from executing federal contracts or being involved in other federal funding transactions, Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner said Wednesday.

On the social media platform X , Turner cited the federal corruption charges a grand jury filed against Cantrell and Vappie in August as the basis for the suspension. Prosecutors have accused the pair of charging romantic getaways to taxpayers, then lying about their affair.

"We cannot entrust taxpayer dollars to the New Orleans mayor and her 'bodyguard' who have been charged with indictment by a Grand Jury with wire fraud, among other federal crimes," Turner wrote. "Corrupt Cantrell can’t abuse American taxpayer dolla

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