Former British Virgin Islands (BVI) Premier Andrew Fahie faces the prospect of life imprisonment following his conviction late Thursday on fees associated to drug trafficking and racketeering.
Sentencing is about for April 29, 2024.
Fahie’s conviction adopted an eight-day trial, with a 12-member jury unanimously discovering him responsible on fees together with conspiracy to import a managed substance, conspiracy to have interaction in cash laundering, tried cash laundering, and interstate and international journey in support of racketeering.
The prosecution relied on the data offered by a Drug Enforcement Company (DEA) informant, who had initially made contact with Fahie’s co-conspirators, Oleanvine and Kadeem Maynard – the British Virgin Islands’ former head of ports and her son.
Drug import scheme
The conspiracy aimed to bribe BVI authorities to show a blind eye to cocaine shipments passing by means of the Tortola shoreline en path to US ports. Fahie allegedly stood to revenue from every cocaine sale, half for private achieve and half to make sure the complicity of public officers.
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The court docket heard that whereas in Miami, Fahie and Ms Maynard, inspected what they believed to be their preliminary cargo of money, US$700,000, to be divided between them, aboard a personal jet at Miami-Opa Locka Government Airport.
Fahie, who pleaded not responsible, was arrested in April 2022 by officers posing as cartel members, and the Maynards, who had beforehand entered responsible pleas to their fees have been granted lighter sentences.
Kadeem Maynard acquired a jail sentence of practically 5 years, whereas his mom’s sentencing has been deferred till after her testimony in opposition to Fahie.
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Throughout the trial, her testimony, aligned carefully with the prosecution’s case, detailed her position in introducing the scheme to Fahie and confirmed his willingness to take part. She recounted Fahie’s direct negotiations with the DEA informant, together with his settlement to a 12 % revenue share from the cocaine shipments and his acceptance of a US$20,000 “good religion” money reward, whereas she admitted receiving US$10,000 from the identical supply.
She will likely be sentenced on February 22.
Fahie maintains innocence
Throughout the trial, Fahie maintained his innocence, and court docket observers say that the ensuing full jury trial means he’s ineligible for any leniency sometimes afforded by a plea deal.
The costs carry extreme penalties, with the cash laundering counts every warranting as much as 20 years in jail and the racketeering cost as much as 5 years. The conspiracy to site visitors cocaine might result in a life sentence and a tremendous of as much as US$10 million.
Fahie, who had been on bail and residing at his daughter’s Miami residence, was taken into custody late Thursday night.
