by Brian Major
Last updated: 4:20 PM ET, Tue February 13, 2024
Former British Virgin Islands (BVI) premier Andrew Fahie was
found guilty this week in Miami Federal Court of conspiring to facilitate the transportation
of thousands of kilograms of cocaine through the archipelago in 2022.
After deliberating for more than four hours, a jury unanimously
convicted Fahie on each of four conspiracy and money-laundering counts. He
faces a sentence of life in prison and a $10 million fine for the
cocaine-conspiracy charge.
Fahie was found guilty of working with undercover U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration
(DEA) agents posing as drug dealers in a conspiracy to use territorial waters
to traffic a multi-kilogram cocaine shipment.
The former premier doubled as the BVI's tourism minister and was convicted following
a week-long trial. Alleged co-conspirator Oleanvine Maynard, then the British
Virgin Islands' port authority managing director, was arrested by DEA agents at
Miami-Opa-Locka Executive Airport with the former premier. She provided lengthy
testimony against Fahie during the trial.
According to court documents, in return for facilitating
the shipment, Fahie expected to receive an initial $500,000 in cash, in
addition to proceeds from future drug sales. Previously free on bail, Fahie was
handcuffed and taken into custody.
Maynard pleaded guilty last June to taking part in the
alleged conspiracy and is to be sentenced by Judge Williams on February 22. A BVI
Beacon report earlier this week said Maynard earlier is “seeking leniency for
her truthful testimony.” Fahie has denied all of the charges against him.
Fahie and Maynard were in Miami for the Seatrade Cruise
Global conference in April 2022 when they opted to travel to the airport to “check
out” an alleged shipment of $700,000 aboard an airplane they believed was
headed for the BVI.
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
