By: Staff Writer
February 20, 2024
Former Premier of the British Virgin Islands, Andrew Fahie, was found guilty of cocaine trafficking and racketeering charges and faces up to life in prison.
Fahie was convicted after the 12-member jury returning guilty verdicts of conspiracy to import a controlled substance, conspiracy to engage in money laundering, attempted money laundering, and interstate and foreign travel in aid of racketeering.
The seven-day trial that featured lengthy testimony from alleged co-conspirator Oleanvine Maynard, a 12-member jury in Miami unanimously convicted Mr. Fahie of each of the four counts against him: conspiracy to import more than five kilograms of cocaine, conspiracy to engage in money laundering, attempted money laundering, and foreign travel in aid of racketeering.
Jurors deliberated for about four hours before arriving at the verdict. The sentencing is scheduled for April 29, 2024.
Fahie was represented by attorney Theresa Van Vliet who argued that her client had been framed by the United Kingdom government. This is despite overwhelming evidence showing that Fahie was nabbed following a sting operation orchestrated by the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
The prosecution relied on the information provided by a Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) informant, who had initially made contact with Fahie’s co-conspirators, Oleanvine and Kadeem Maynard – the BVI’s former head of ports and her son.
The conspiracy’s objective was to bribe BVI authorities to ignore the movement of cocaine-laden ships using the Tortola coastline as a transient haven en route to US ports.
The prosecution alleged that for his involvement, Fahie was to receive a share from each cocaine sale, part for personal gain and part to ensure the complicity of key public officials.
The court heard that while in Miami, Fahie and Ms Maynard, inspected what they believed to be their initial shipment of cash, US$700,000, to be divided between them, aboard a private jet at Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport.
Fahie, who pleaded not guilty, was arrested in April 2022 by officers posing as cartel members and the Maynards, who had previously entered guilty pleas to their charges were granted lighter sentences.
Kadeem Maynard received a prison sentence of nearly five years, while his mother’s sentencing has been deferred until after her testimony against Fahie.
During the trial, her testimony, aligned closely with the prosecution’s case, detailed her role in introducing the scheme to Fahie and confirmed his willingness to participate. She recounted Fahie’s direct negotiations with the DEA informant, including his agreement to a 12 per cent profit share from the cocaine shipments and his acceptance of a US$20,000 “good faith” cash gift, while she admitted receiving US$10,000 from the same source.
She will be sentenced on February 22.
During the trial, Fahie maintained his innocence and court observers say that the resulting full jury trial means he is ineligible for any leniency typically afforded by a plea deal.
The charges carry severe penalties, with the money laundering counts each warranting up to 20 years in prison and the racketeering charge up to five years. The conspiracy to traffic cocaine could lead to a life sentence and a fine of up to US$10 million.