Judge sets Fahie’s trial for January 2024
A Florida High Court judge has agreed to move the start date for the drug and money laundering trial for former premier of the Virgin Islands, Andrew Fahie, who was meant to stand trial in mid-July.
Fahie, 52, is charged with one count of conspiracy to import a controlled substance, conspiracy to engage in money laundering, and attempted money laundering. This is in addition to a subsequent charge of Interstate and Foreign Travel in Aid of Racketeering that was added in early November last year.
Fahie filed a third unopposed motion through his attorney, Theresa Van Vliet, last week requesting to have his trial moved to a date past November 1. In his motion, Fahie cited various new developments as well as the court’s refusal to disclose the identity of a confidential source as reasons for the requested delay.
Van Vliet told the court that there was insufficient time to file motions, permit the prosecution’s response and any reply, and give the Court time to consider the matter or have an evidentiary hearing ahead of the previously slated July 17 trial date.
In a paperless order issued last Friday, Judge Kathleen Williams agreed that Fahie’s jury trial will now be held before her Miami Division Court on January 8, 2024, at 9 am.
“The court finds that the ends of justice served by granting this continuance outweigh the interests of the defendant and the public in a speedy trial,” Justice Williams stated in the order.
Fahie’s two co-accused — former BVI Ports Authority boss Oleanvine Maynard and her son Kadeem Maynard — both pleaded guilty to a single count of conspiracy to import cocaine and promised full cooperation with prosecutors in exchange for lenience from the court at sentencing.
As part of Oleanvine’s plea bargain, US prosecutors agreed to drop four other counts, including money laundering and racketeering. For Kadeem’s cooperation in the plea agreement, prosecutors determined that he was a “minor participant” in the criminal activity, and therefore should receive a two-level reduction at sentencing.
Both Maynards face a mandatory minimum term of 10 years imprisonment unless either defendant is ‘safety valve eligible’. A “safety valve” is an exception to mandatory minimum sentencing laws. It allows a judge to sentence a person below the mandatory minimum term if certain conditions are met.
The duo is now expected to be sentenced on August 21 while Fahie remains in home confinement with his two daughters on a $1 million bond ahead of his January trial date.
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Has your attorney made you aware of the cumulative penalty of the offences charged should you be convicted?
If you have been made fully aware of what lies ahead, then by all means proceed.
Head Coach is toast
This situation with Andrew is old. But when I first heard that announcement that afternoon by Zan I wasn’t worried I just said it’s probably a mistaken identity. Never in my wildest dreams did I envision someone I admired and looked up to could be guilty of the things they were saying. My premier the head of my beautiful adopted country. Someone who lotsof people thought was the best hope after Irmaria. What was he thinking? So many times people stop in their tracks from going down the wrong road because of family. Then we came to understand that he has been doing wrong for a very long time. How could we have been so hoodwinked. Yes there were red flags – the refusal of u.k help in patrolling the border, always at logger heads with the governor etc. We refused to believe our premier was anything but wonderful. Oh Andrew Andrew Andrew, How you hit us for 6! Thanks for listening to my rant. I’m still heartbroken.
I’m confused. The yellow site is saying November for the trial. BVI NEWS is saying January. Does anyone know?
Things are. It looking good for Andrew but entrapment is a defence. Unless the Maynard’s give evidence that he has history of drug dealing, he has a reasonable (but not guaranteed) entrapment defence. Maynard kid was approached by Feds, he accepted that he involved Mother, and Mother accepts she involved Head Coach. Classic entrapment.
Heartbroken? I am delighted that active law enforcement exposed one of the most evil politicians ever to operate in the BVI.
The people of the BVI are infinitely better off without him.
The disappointment is that other known politicians / criminals are still walking around free including Government Official 1.
Andrew did not deceive the people of the BVI. We all
Knew who he was but we still voted him in. We vote with all sort of prejudices and irrelevant things in our mind rather than who is competent and best for the job. Ralph O’Neal warned many persons not to let Andrew Fahie become Premier and yet some of those same people he warned were the ones supporting Andrew the most. This is on the BVI people. We have to do better. Andrew was always Andrew and will always be Andrew. Stop playing victim.
There is a difference between a entrapment and a sting operation. I would argue that the latter is responsible for Mr. Fahie’s predicament.
I’ll drink to that.
@rubber duck, I respect your opinion rubber ducky even though you are bumping along and honestly have no idea where you would land. I would accept Andrew any day, every day, any where and everywhere before I accept this half bake accidental, mistake prone one that we have.
He did not hoodwink me. My perception early on was that something was up with Head Coach. When I say early on, I go back to before he was the Leader of the Opposition.
It started for me when I noticed the way he conducted himself in the HOA. His tone and the accusations he would make. Most notably when he announced for the world to hear that the former NDP government was the most corrupt.
I thought that was callous and irresponsible, and stated such on these blogs at the time. I started paying closer attention to his actions then.
I have learned over life that when people begin accusing others of something, chances are they are guilty of those same things and have things to hide. It’s called projection.
He accused the NDP government of being the most corrupt government in the VI, and look how things turned out? A case of serious projection. I would not even say the pot was calling the kettle black because the original charge is questionable to begin.
The next issue that raised major red flags for me was once he was elected Premier, he hired personal body guards with reported orders to kill if necessary to protect him.
In the history of the British Virgin Islands, no other Chief Minister or Premier had ever found it necessary to hire personal body guards until he came along.
They utilized the protection of the RVIPF, and that protection was more about protocol, escorting the Chief Minister/Premier, and the dignity of the office rather than perceived personal/political threats.
The obvious question to me was what was he into that would warrant him hiring his own personal security guards and not utilizing the RVIPF as needed? Something was amidst.
Then of course the saga of the ship vs the U.K. provided ship for boarder security. Questionable decision which again raised eyebrows.
So, I am not surprised by these developments surrounding him..not in the least. The blogs have been hinting about certain suspicious behavior and activities for some time now.
Nothing done in these islands stays a secret. If you pass gas in West End on your way to East End, someone in East End will know you passed gas before you get up East probably before you even get in your car.
The one thing I find disturbing is that there were surely people who knew what he was allegedly into but continue to keep quiet, and perhaps even voted for him repeatedly. That’s disturbing. They could not care two flying pigs about the country and no better than him in that regard.
The only people surprised are the ones who don’t really know him
The two Maynards plead guilty and admitted to the plot. They also admitted that they started communication with the CI and then they pulled Fahie in. Once Fahie’s Lawyer gets the CI’s identity then the chess game is on. The fact that the Judges continue to appease his Lawyer and move the trial dates shows what’s going on here. Don’t count the Bummer out just yet and he has a damn good Lawyer.
You all are so crazy. January is 6 months from now, do you really think this case is going to trial? These filings are to buy time, understand what’s at play here.
The entrapment defense will be determined by who the Confidential Informant is, that’s why his Lawyer continues to push for this information.
Time will tell.
Everyone with reasonable common sense knows that fahie was never in drugs. Let us see how this organized plot against him unfolds.
YEAH , WE KNOW YOU WOULD , JUST LIKE HOW YOU WRITING AND BLOGGING TO WHATEVER YOU WRITE BY USING DIFFERENT NAMES , SO ( ACTION ) IS JUST ANOTHER ONE OF THEM / BOTH OF YOU HAVE THE SAME EGOTISTICAL MENTALITY ? , THATS HOW YOU HAD GOTTEN THE JOB IN THE HOA WITH YOUR BLONDE WIG , WHY DON’T YOU JOIN HIM ? / STAY ON YOUR
( YELL’OH ) SITE AND PLAY WITH YOURSELF ?
Fahie is definitely unbalanced – When you pray to God and ask for success for wicked deeds – deeds that will be detrimental to your fellow human beings – then you’ve got a screw loose. His best defence may be temporary insanity
These people so Smart, this is like we are going to give you whatever you ask for now, so when we drop the hammer on you with 50yrs in Prison, Parole after 20, you can’t say, we don’t like you, or treated you badly.I can’t see no Scenario with him getting away..
Fahie Lawyer and the Judge seems like they are good friends and they are secretly discussing the case behind close doors. This is a Norm..And Foy Lawyer is tell the Judge we know he is Guilty but pls do me a Favour and allow him to spend this last Christmas with his Family..
So a lot of persons knew what Andrew was into but never came out and informed the general public. Yet when Cindy and company were trying to mobilize the populace a lot of people called her crazy. All who knew or suspected and did nothing need to hush up now cause there are a lot of us who were naive enough to think the PREMIER of a country was more trustworthy. After all he was elected and reelected time after time.
Fahie – Trying to go for the Statute of Limitations. With the people’s money paying expensive Legal fees…
Give him enough rope to hang himself.
that are illegal and imported into the USA relies on confidential informants to assist the various drug enforcement agencies in the US federal government. The identity of a CI is top secret information and will never be revealed so stop asking and face the jury trial.
@ Entrapment:
As Mother Maynard told the informant ‘he, (Andrew) can be a lil crook sometimes’. She must have had first hand knowledge of his crookery. Let’s see how this pans out.
BLAME the Carrot Bay folks and a family Biden, in Towers.
They knew and some asisted and was given big favors.
The real mysteryy is, Who put the contract on Bob?
Why was BoB Eliminated? It have to come to surface. Inhale!
Three years since the charge – they’ll throw the case out – that’s what he’s now aiming for…
Plenty video and cell phone recording starring Andrew.
With or without witness self incriminating evidence aplenty.
As someone with some knowledge of the reality of a US entrapment defense, I can tell you that Fahie has about zero chance of it succeeding.
I think his lawyer continues to approach the Court for these extensions because she wants all her money before trial and he hasn’t come up with it yet.
Keep stretching it out. By the time he gets his day in court and his imminent guilty verdict and his possible 20+ year sentence, the maynards would be 3 down, 7 more to go..
Keep it up FOYYYY
THOSE WITH CLEAN HANDS HAS NOTHING TO BE AFRAID OF , SO JUST STEP UP , ( WHY PROLONG IT ? ? / OH I GUESS HE IS JUST ENJOYING HIS VACATION IN THE LAND OF MILK AMD HONEY , YEAH RITE, WITH ALL THE ( BRAINS ) YOU POSSESS YOU SHOULD OF BEEN BY HIS SIDE TO GET SOME OF THAT CASH THAT THEM RACIST & COLONIALISTS THAT HE HAS CHOOSEN TO REPRESENT HIM IS GETTING , INSTEAD OF DOWN HERE YAPPING YAPPING YAPPING AND SAYING ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ? ,PURE FART
There’s a side of this story that no one in polite society want’s to talk about. Cast your mind back people. Do you remember mention being made of ‘the man from Senegal’ the man who Fahie owed $80K too.
Did you ever wonder who this mystery man was? OK, hold on to your flip-flops – the man from Senegal was Fahie’s spiritual leader, or in other words a witch doctor (the Caribbean islands are now full of them).
He ‘advised’ help get Fahie into power in 2016 (I think it was 2016) using occult practices. Check your archives, do you remember strange drawings, markings being found around the island?
The man from Senegal gave Fahie certain powers to gain wealth. But these covenants with the devil come at a price. In the beginning you can sacrifice money and then it moves into family members. But it looks as if Fahie didn’t pay his witch doctor and that’s how he got caught.
I mean seriously think about this story. A premier of a country with access and connections and business leaders, why would he embark on such a caviler scheme?? When something isn’t logical, it’s spiritual. Come on you investigative journalists do some digging…
There’s a side of this story that no one in polite society want’s to talk about. Cast your mind back people. Do you remember mention being made of ‘the man from Senegal’ the man who Fahie owed $80K too.
Did you ever wonder who this mystery man was? OK, hold on to your flip-flops – the man from Senegal was Fahie’s spiritual leader, or in other words a witch doctor (the Caribbean islands are now full of them).
He ‘advised’ help get Fahie into power in 2016 (I think it was 2016) using occult practices. Check your archives, do you remember strange drawings, markings being found around the island?
The man from Senegal gave Fahie certain powers to gain wealth. But these covenants with the devil come at a price. In the beginning you can sacrifice money and then it moves into family members. But it looks as if Fahie didn’t pay his witch doctor and that’s how he got caught.
I mean seriously think about this story. A premier of a country with access and connections and business leaders, why would he embark on such a cavailer scheme?? When something isn’t logical, it’s spiritual. Come on you investigative journalists do some digging…
NDP to blame…
Why they being lax with him? He sitting pretty with his family in Miami until after Xmas. Get to say his goodbyes. He might as well plead guilty and get it over with – if he don’t he may get longer sentence. He never making it back to the Islands.
Maybe his wife
Return him to the custody of a correctional facility and you’ll see how quick he’ll request for a speedy trial. Fatty is given all the rope he needs to hang himself, but his weight is what will save him from actually been hung. The rope will snap and he’ll land safely like an oversized walrus on his cell floor.
Are you sure about that? Entrapment is generally defined as action by law enforcement personnel to lead an otherwise innocent person to commit a crime, in order to arrest and prosecute that person for the crime. How did after the fact testimony from the Maynards lead to Fahie’s actions? The Maynards have accepted guilty pleas so they themselves are not innocent.
Secondly, after the DEA unsuccessful efforts for extradition of BVI based narcotrafickers some years ago, you’d think prosecutors would be careful enough to avoid the pitfalls that might be seen as entrapment (as in the offer and acceptance of cash bribes aboard a private aircraft on US soil).
Foolish of all of them to have allowed greed to lead them to their current predicaments. Everybody in the narco biz knows you can never leave.They won’t be back for a while.
I trust Mrs. Theresa more than your stink mouth and twitter fingers.