British Virgin Islands ex-premier Fahie pleads not guilty to drug charges

Brian Ellsworth
Updated ·1 min read
FILE PHOTO: British Virgin Islands Premier Andrew Fahie poses in an undated photograph

By Brian Ellsworth

MIAMI (Reuters) - Former British Virgin Islands Premier Andrew Fahie pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiring to launder money and import cocaine to the United States, his attorney said on Wednesday, following his arrest in Miami.

Fahie was ousted as the British overseas territory's premier this month after the U.S. Department of Justice said he had agreed with a Drug Enforcement Administration informant to help smuggle cocaine in exchange for a cut of the proceeds.

Attorney Theresa Van Vliet, consulted about the issue by Reuters, said Fahie pleaded not guilty.

Fahie was replaced by Natalio Wheatley, who had been serving as the territory's acting premier after Fahie's arrest.

The Department of Justice also charged Oleanvine Maynard, who had been the managing director for the British Virgin Islands ports authority, with the same crimes.

A commission of inquiry, which was independent of Fahie's arrest, last month said the territory should be effectively ruled from London due to governance and corruption problems.

(This story corrects last paragraph to replace "United Kingdom" with "commission of inquiry")

(Reporting by Brian Ellsworth; Editing by Mark Porter)

  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next

Latest Stories

  • Exclusive-Half of Russia's payments to China made through middlemen, sources say

    Russian firms' efforts to make payments for goods in China as secondary sanctions fears spook local banks have generated a flourishing market for middlemen, four sources told Reuters, with up to half of transactions now handled by intermediaries. The U.S. Treasury has warned it could apply sanctions on those facilitating transactions with Russia, calling on foreign banks to boost compliance.

  • Athletes tied to Iowa gambling sting seek damages in civil lawsuit against state and investigators

    Attorneys for more than two dozen Iowa and Iowa State athletes who were ensnared in a state gambling sting filed a civil lawsuit Friday seeking unspecified monetary damages from the state and its public safety and criminal investigation agencies for violating the athletes' rights and smearing their reputations. The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Des Moines and names as plaintiffs 17 athletes from Iowa, eight from Iowa State and one from Ellsworth Community College. Most of the athletes who faced criminal charges connected to the 2023 investigation agreed to plead guilty to underage gambling and pay a fine and in return had a count of identity theft dismissed.

  • King to resume public duties after positive cancer treatment

    Charles has been receiving care as an outpatient since early February.

  • Outgoing Dutch prime minister visits Turkey's Erdogan in his bid for the NATO chief position

    The Netherlands’ outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte was in Turkey on Friday, seeking support from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for the Dutch official's bid for the position of NATO secretary general. Incumbent NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg, a former Norwegian prime minister who has been NATO’s top civilian official since 2014, is nearing the end of his term.

  • Emma Stone wants people to use her real first name

    Emma chose the name change because Emily Stone - her real name - was taken by another actor.

  • EU antitrust regulators warn IAG, Air Europa deal may reduce competition

    EU antitrust regulators on Friday warned that British Airways owner IAG's bid to secure full control of Air Europa may reduce competition and lead to price increases. The European Commission singled out the impact on Spanish domestic routes and short-haul and long-haul routes in a statement of objections to the companies, confirming a Reuters story earlier this month. "The Commission is concerned that customers may face increased prices and/or decreased quality of services after the transaction," the EU competition watchdog said in a statement.

  • Judge denies SC 3rd Congressional District hopeful’s request to stop ballot printing

    The SC GOP kept Michael LaPierre’s name off the ballot. He sued his party and the election commission.

  • US to withdraw troops from Chad in wake of Niger exit

    The United States will pull dozens of special forces soldiers from Chad, days after announcing it would also withdraw troops from neighbouring Niger.

  • 20 States With the Most Beautiful Flags According to Reddit

    In this article, we will list 20 states with the most beautiful flags according to Reddit. If you want to skip our discussion about Minnesota’s new flag, the importance of flags for tourism, and international and domestic tourism in the United States, go to 5 States With the Most Beautiful Flags According to Reddit. As we […]

  • Kansas lawmakers fail in last-ditch effort to pass Medicaid expansion ahead of elections

    Kansas Republican lawmakers have resisted efforts to expand Medicaid for the past decade.

  • Meme stocks are 'speculation,' not investing. Here's why.

    As meme stocks gain traction, Todd Walsh, Alpha Cubed Investments CEO and author of Exponential Gains: How to Find and Manage the Next Great Stocks and Transform Your Portfolio, joins Wealth! to shed light on why investors should avoid these speculative investments. Walsh points out that "a generation of investors" are currently drawn to meme stocks, mistakenly believing they are investing when, in reality, these stocks "are just speculation." He emphasizes the importance of investors establishing a "foundation" and an "investment process" that filters out speculative plays. Walsh advises investors to "get away from the idea of making a big score" and instead focus on factors such as a company's earnings and profitability. This approach promotes a more disciplined investment strategy, he adds. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Wealth! This post was written by Angel Smith

  • British Army says horses that bolted and ran loose in central London continue 'to be cared for'

    The military horses that bolted and ran loose when spooked by construction noise in central London earlier this week “continue to be cared for and closely observed," the British Army said Friday. In an update on X, formerly Twitter, the Army gave no fresh information on the condition of the two horses — Vida and Quaker — that were operated on. Vida, a white horse seen drenched in blood as it galloped down Aldwych in between London’s historic financial center and the busy West End theater district, was the most visibly injured and was treated for lacerations.

  • Caleb Williams reacts to being drafted No. 1 overall to Bears 'NFL Draft Kickoff'

    Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams reacts to being drafted No. 1 overall to Bears.

  • WATCH: QB Caleb Williams gets the draft call from the Bears

    Caleb Williams and Ryan Poles could not contain their excitement when the draft call was finally made.

  • WPBF 25 Editorial: Flood Insurance

    WPBF 25 Editorial: Flood Insurance

  • Kim Kardashian Returns to the White House to Discuss Criminal Justice Reform with Vice President Kamala Harris

    Kardashian, who previously met with Donald Trump to pardon prisoners, has been an advocate for inmates in the U.S. who she believes have been wrongly convicted

  • At least 70 people killed by flooding in Kenya as more rain is expected through the weekend

    Flooding and heavy rains in Kenya have killed at least 70 people since mid-March, a government spokesperson said Friday, twice as many as were reported earlier this week. The East African country has seen weeks of heavy rains and severe flooding in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, as well as in the country's western and central regions. Kenya's government spokesperson Isaac Mwaura on Friday refuted claims that hundreds of people have died in the ongoing flooding and said the official tally now stands at 70.

  • Everything to Know About Gabby Windey's Partner, Robby Hoffman

    Here's everything we know about Gabby Windey's girlfriend, Robby Hoffman.

  • Reading terror stabbings ‘probably avoidable’, inquest concludes

    Judge Coroner Sir Adrian Fulford has delivered his findings after an inquest into the deaths of James Furlong, Dr David Wails and Joseph Richie-Bennett

  • Top Education Department official steps down amid crisis over college financial aid

    Richard Cordray, the official in charge of the Federal Student Aid office, which oversees the FAFSA, will conclude his tenure at the end of June.