In March of 2015, Irvin Mayfield was downright cocky. He had recently opened the New Orleans Jazz Market, a home venue for his New Orleans Jazz Orchestra (NOJO).

In an interview with Jennifer Odell of Offbeat, he painted a picture colored with lofty notions and ideals. Waxing poetic, Mayfield boasted that “[o]ur work is about conveying truth, love and beauty.”

Yet as the interview progressed, Mayfield’s words were less high-minded. His words for investigative reporter David Hammer seemed almost petulant.

Here’s the background: Hammer’s reporting for the Times-Picayune had appeared critical of Mayfield after he became the board chairman of the New Orleans Public Library system in 2008. Mayfield had no background in library administration upon assuming the role; in fact, he doesn’t even have a college degree. Hammer appeared skeptical of Mayfield’s slash-and-burn policies.

“He’s doing investigative journalism on TV now, and I think he’s enjoying that,” Mayfield told Odell regarding Hammer, presumably sporting a wry grin.

Alas, mocking a dedicated investigative reporter with a last name like “Hammer” is usually not the best idea. Just over a month later, almost predictably, Hammer had the last laugh.

Now working for WWL-TV, Hammer penned a devastating expose showing that Mayfield had shifted at least $863,000 in donations from the New Orleans Library Foundation (intended for the benefit of New Orleans’ public libraries) to the Jazz Market. People who thought they were supporting the city’s libraries were, in fact, funding Mayfield’s pet project and his six-figure salary.

Local officials were outraged. Mayor Landrieu called for every dime to be paid back. Ron Forman, the chairman of the board of NOJO, told WWL-TV that the Library Foundation would reimbursed.

“Whatever the amount is, we will reimburse it,” Forman said. “And we will reimburse the whole amount.”

The NOJO board also released a written statement in which it defended Mayfield’s actions, but promised to “return the dollars to the library foundation” in order to “remedy any misperceptions.” With that, the matter appeared to be settled.

Alas, it was not. When Hammer recently followed up to find out when NOJO would actually be repaying the money, he was instead treated to this statement by NOJO spokesman Malcolm Ehrhardt:

“In May 2015, the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra Board of Directors retained outside counsel to conduct a thorough and independent financial and ethical review regarding questions about its funding and relationships with various organizations. This review found that no funds allocated to the NOJO by these organizations were improperly spent on projects or initiatives for which they were not intended. Likewise, the funds allocated to the NOJO by these organizations were not used to personally benefit NOJO leaders in the form of salaries, bonuses, commissions or additional compensation.”

Clearly, NOJO simply lied when it previously said it would repay the money. Instead, Mayfield and his cronies simply hired counsel to justify their actions, and then hired a local spin doctor to talk to the media about it.

Worst of all, the spin wasn’t even decent. The argument that the donations were used appropriately because they only went to public programs didn’t work the first time around. It’s transparently silly. Money is fungible; it doesn’t matter whether Mayfield created two proverbial piles of cash. What matters is that library donations shouldn’t have been going to the Jazz Market.

What this brazenness demonstrates is that Mayfield has joined a special club – the club of wealthy local figures who shamelessly view this city as potential plunder.

Mayfield doesn’t seem to have gotten involved with local nonprofits, boards, etc., out of a sense of civic responsibility, but instead as a mercenary looking how to turn everything to his own benefit. He may have been caught with his hand in the cookie jar, but he’s far from alone in such self-aggrandizement. And New Orleans has always been known for its hustlers.

The thing is, if some guy in the Quarter asks me “where I got dem shoes,” it’s a minor hustle and the worst a person is out is a few bucks. When elites view nonprofits and public boards as piggy banks for their personal projects, we all lose. Also, the money at stake isn’t pocket change.

I’ve said time and time again that the perception of corruption in New Orleans is a major factor holding the city back. Alas, that perception is often the reality.

Mayfield should know. He got away with it.

Owen Courrèges, a New Orleans attorney and resident of the Garden District, offers his opinions for UptownMessenger.com on Mondays. He has previously written for the Reason Public Policy Foundation.