On Friday, Cecil Roebuck received a permit from the New Orleans Police Department that would allow him to debut a new Carnival-style parade on Jan. 5, 2026. But on Wednesday morning, NOPD officers arrived at his Mid-City float den to arrest him for an alleged theft reported in 2022.

Roebuck first announced plans for the Mystic Kings parade in April. The proposed parade was meant to celebrate the biblical kings who traveled to Bethlehem at the birth of the baby Jesus. The three-float procession would have begun the traditional Carnival parading season a day early.

Soon after the announcement of the new parade, controversy arose when City Council President JP Morrell publicly called the parade “a complete and total scam,” based on his knowledge of Roebuck’s previous business practices.

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