New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell, the city’s first female mayor, is leaving office after being indicted on 18 counts of fraud and conspiracy.

New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell, who served from 2018 to 2026 and was the city’s first female mayor, is ending her second term amid a federal indictment on 18 counts of fraud and conspiracy. She faces charges related to a city-owned French Quarter apartment and her relationship with former NOPD officer Jeffrey Vappie, whom she allegedly used city resources for personal gain. Though she led effective pandemic responses and oversaw a drop in crime, her approval rating fell to about 20%. A 2025 indictment made her the first sitting New Orleans mayor to face federal charges. Despite securing infrastructure funding and police pay raises, her transition to incoming mayor Helena Moreno has been marked by limited cooperation and travel restrictions.