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Federal Judge Grapples with Verdict Doubts in BVI Premier’s Cocaine Smuggling Case

Editor — Sat, 24 Feb 2024 18:09:55 +0000

The case of former British Virgin Islands premier Andrew Fahie has taken a perplexing turn, leaving U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams grappling with unresolved doubts raised by jurors regarding their guilty verdicts nearly two weeks ago. Fahie, currently detained in Miami following his conviction for cocaine smuggling, awaits a resolution as the judge seeks a legal path forward.

The saga began on February 8th when a Miami jury found Fahie guilty on charges of conspiring to import cocaine into the United States from the British Virgin Islands, alongside three related counts of money laundering and racketeering. However, moments after the verdict, two jurors reached out to express apparent misgivings, sparking an uncommon post-trial dispute.

Judge Williams, presiding over the case, finds herself in uncharted legal territory, as both federal prosecutors and defense attorneys present conflicting views on how to address the jurors’ concerns. While prosecutors argue against revisiting the verdicts, citing a lack of evidence of misconduct or coercion, defense attorneys advocate for polling the jurors again to ensure a just resolution.

Despite the complexity of the situation, Judge Williams remains resolute in her pursuit of a fair outcome, urging both sides to collaborate in finding a viable solution. However, she warns against any contact with the jurors involved, highlighting a prior interaction between one juror and a defense attorney as cause for concern.

As the legal wrangling continues, Fahie, the ex-premier of the British Virgin Islands, awaits his fate, facing the possibility of a lengthy prison sentence.

His sentencing is scheduled for April 29th, leaving ample time for the court to navigate the intricate maze of legal challenges surrounding his conviction.

The case against Fahie hinges on allegations of corruption and collusion with drug cartels, with prosecutors painting a damning picture of his involvement in a cocaine smuggling scheme. With the stakes high and the legal landscape uncertain, the fate of the former premier hangs in the balance as the courtroom drama unfolds.

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Oleanvine Maynard Honours DEA Deal – What Awaits Her in Terms of Sentencing?

Editor — Fri, 09 Feb 2024 23:21:42 +0000

Oleanvine Maynard, former Managing Director of the British Virgin Islands Ports Authority, fulfilled her deal with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, providing compelling testimony to help secure the conviction of former Premier Andrew Fahie on charges related to drugs and money laundering.

The burning question on everyone’s mind is what will her sentence be now that the federal authorities have won their case against Fahie.

Maynard was the key witness in the prosecution’s case against Fahie, who faced charges of conspiring to import cocaine into the United States and conspiring to launder a substantial amount of money.

Over the course of two days – February 6 and 7 – the sixty-one-year-old testified for more than six hours, detailing the plan involving her son, Kadeem Maynard, and Fahie to exploit the territory as a transshipment port for a Mexican drug cartel.

Maynard, who was heard on secret recording stating she intended to use the proceeds to settle her mortgage in the British Virgin Islands, has been held in police custody for nearly two years. Her arrest took place on April 28, 2022 by DEA agents at Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport.

On that particular day, Fahie, who concurrently held the position of leader within the Virgin Islands Party (VIP), was apprehended, causing astonishment amongst Virgin Islanders, including loyal party backers, and Caribbean leaders.

He was subsequently released on bail.

While the ex-Premier, under the scrutiny of an ankle monitor, resided with his daughters in a Florida apartment and collaborated with his legal team on his case, Maynard, along with her son Kadeem, who was arrested in St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands in April 2022, and later deported to the mainland, remained in federal custody.

And in November 2023, more than a year after their arrest, the two Maynards struck a deal with federal authorities to avoid a court trial and evade lengthy sentences.

Kadeem received a fifty-seven-month jail sentence for his involvement in the drug conspiracy. However, prosecutors repeatedly delayed his mother’s sentencing, moving it from November to early January, and subsequently to mid-January.

It became evident that the outcome of her agreement hinged significantly on her testimony against Fahie.

Prosecutors constructed a robust case, relying on evidence derived from covert meetings and encoded conversations and the testimony of a DEA agent. They presented secret recordings and revealed information extracted from Fahie’s phones.

According to the testimony of the DEA agent, the agreement involved transporting the drugs through the territory in exchange for Fahie receiving an initial payment of $500,000 in cash and a percentage of the profits from subsequent drug sales.

On the day of their apprehension, the pair was present at the Miami airport to examine Fahie’s $500,000 payment and an additional $200,000 for Maynard. The plan was for the cash to be flown to Tortola on a private jet.

Maynard’s testimony linked all the elements, extending from the initial encounter with the undercover agent posing as a drug cartel member and the receipt of bribes to the elaborate plans to traffic substantial amounts of cocaine through the territory.

In Fahie’s defence, he contended that he was being set up by the United Kingdom, asserting that he believed the undercover agent was a participant in a scheme to overthrow him. His lawyer argued that his intentions were to take action against the drug cartel.

On Thursday, February 8, the jurors deliberated for a mere four hours before arriving at their decision. Fahie was guilty. He was handcuffed and taken into custody until his sentencing date on April 29.

The story of Maynard’s transformation from government official to inmate to prosecution’s star witness has been extensively chronicled in various articles by the international media.

Her next court day is expected to be her sentencing hearing, where the question looms: will she, too, be handed a 57-month sentence, or receive a more lenient outcome for fulfilling her part of the deal?

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BVI Former Premier Andrew A. Fahie Found Guilty, Sentencing Set For April

Editor — Fri, 09 Feb 2024 00:13:46 +0000

Former Premier of the British Virgin Islands Andrew A. Fahie has been found guilty in a Miami court of conspiring to import cocaine into the United States and conspiring to launder a significant sum of money, charges which carry sentences ranging from 20 years to life.

After a trial spanning seven days, a diverse jury rendered a guilty verdict against the former politician who also faces potential fines amounting to US$10 million. The jurors deliberated for a mere four hours before arriving at their decision. Fahie, who was previously out on bail, was handcuffed and taken into custody.

His journey from the corridors of power to a courtroom in Miami has been nothing short of extraordinary. Arrested on April 28, 2022 by agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) at Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport, Fahie made international headlines, shocking many supporters in his homeland.

Fahie, whose political career once seemed destined for greater heights, the verdict represents a stunning reversal of fortune.

However, as the trial progressed and evidence was presented, the territory closely followed the prosecution’s case which included extensive incriminating conversations recorded by undercover DEA agents, phone records, and testimony from the prosecution’s key witness, Oleanvine Pickering Maynard, who secured a reduced sentence through a negotiated deal.

Maynard and her son, Kadeem Stephan Maynard, found themselves apprehended in the drug sting. The male counterpart also entered into an agreement with federal authorities, resulting in a five-year sentence.

A former mathematics teacher turned lawmaker, he ascended to prominence as the representative for District One in 1999, a position he held steadfastly for 23 years. Throughout his tenure, he wielded significant influence, serving in various ministerial capacities and ultimately assuming leadership of the Virgin Islands Party (VIP).

Fahie led the VIP to a return to power in the 2019 general election, upending the long-standing dominance of the National Democratic Party. His ascent to power was met with both acclaim and scrutiny, reflecting the complex dynamics of Caribbean politics.

Fahie’s once unassailable reputation began to crumble. In November 2022, facing mounting legal pressure and public scrutiny, he resigned from his position as chairman of the VIP and withdrew from the political arena altogether.

Fahie’s sentencing Is scheduled for April 29.

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