British Virgin Islands Premier, Port Director Charged in South Florida Federal Court with Drug Trafficking and Money Laundering Crimes
MIAMI – Miami federal prosecutors have charged British Virgin Islands (BVI) Premier Andrew Alturo Fahie, Managing Director of the BVI Ports Authority Oleanvine Pickering Maynard (O. Maynard), and the Port Director’s son, Kadeem Stephan Maynard (K. Maynard), with cocaine trafficking and money laundering conspiracies for agreeing to facilitate the safe passage through BVI ports of tons of Colombian cocaine headed to Miami. In exchange, the defendants would make millions, which would be funneled through different businesses and bank accounts to hide the money’s source.
According to the allegations of the criminal complaint affidavit, during March and April, Fahie, O. Maynard, and K. Maynard participated in a series of meetings with the purported drug trafficker to broker the deal. Fahie and O. Maynard would secure required licenses, shield the cocaine-filled boats while in BVI’s ports, and grease the palm of a potentially problematic government official, says the affidavit. They discussed bringing 3,000 kilograms of cocaine through a BVI port as a test run, followed by 3,000 kilograms once or twice a month for four months. Fahie and O. Maynard would get a percentage of the cocaine’s sales – millions of dollars, it is alleged.
Fahie and O. Maynard were arrested yesterday in Miami. According to the allegations, they were here to pick up a $700,000 cash advance on their deal. The third defendant, K. Maynard, was arrested in St. Thomas.
Fahie and O. Maynard made their initial federal court appearances today at 1:30 p.m., before United States Magistrate Judge Jonathan Goodman. They are scheduled for pretrial detention hearings on Wednesday, May 4, at 10:00 a.m., in federal magistrate court in Miami.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Deanne L. Reuter, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Miami Field Division, announced the charges.
DEA Miami Field Division investigated this matter. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs assisted. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida is prosecuting the case.
This case and prosecution was carried out by members of the South Florida High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force. The South Florida HIDTA, established in 1990, is made up of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies who, cooperatively, target the region’s drug-trafficking and money laundering organizations. The South Florida HIDTA is funded by the Office of National Drug Control Policy, which sponsors a variety of initiatives focused on the nation’s illicit drug trafficking threats.
Criminal complaints contain mere allegations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
If you are aware of controlled substance violations in your community, please submit your anonymous tip through the DEA online Tip Line at Submit a Tip | DEA.gov. Concerns about prescription drug abuse or diversion can be reported to the DEA through this link: RX Abuse Online Reporting (usdoj.gov).
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