Oleanvine Maynard, former BVI Ports Authority Managing Director, presented her testimony in the Andrew Fahie trial this week, alleging that she witnessed the former premier accepting $20,000 in cash from the undercover Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) confidential source who goes by the alias Roberto Quintero.
The testimony is part of Maynard’s plea deal after she admitted to conspiracy to import cocaine, in exchange for a recommended lighter sentencing. Maynard appeared to be experiencing health challenges as she was brought to court in a wheelchair. Since pleading guilty she has remained in the Miami Federal Detention Center.
As the prosecution’s final witness after five days of testimony, Maynard provided context on interactions had with Fahie, her son Kadeem Maynard and the DEA operative who posed as a member of the Mexican Sinaloa Cartel.
She explained various code words and information relating to secret meetings that were recorded by Quintero in Tortola, St Thomas and in Miami.
Maynard noted that she first got involved in the matter after a local contact who owns a salon invited her to meet with their family member and two associates who reside in the BVI, all of whom were described as three males of Arab descent.
The court heard that the meeting was the impetus that led to an initial call between Maynard and the confidential source Quintero, who was disguised as an investor looking for an opportunity to expand his cocaine dealing through the BVI. While the meeting did not result in the direct link between Quintero and Oleanvine, the former BVIPA boss revealed that it was Quintero who contacted her son Khadeen in St. Thomas to request an in-person meeting in St. Thomas, USVI which occurred in March 2022.
At the meeting, Oleanvine discussed detailed plans of how she intended to facilitate the passage of the cocaine through the territory and the willingness of Fahie to be on board with the plans once money was involved. She admitted to accepting $10,000 in cash from Quintero at the meeting, all of which she said she later spent on bills and to assist friends and family members.
Days after returning to the BVI, Oleanvine confirmed that she enlightened Fahie about the operation and how he stood to benefit from the opportunity once onboard. It was then that Maynard alleged that Fahie requested $83,000 to clear bills relating to the previous election, an amount that she later said was increased by $500,000.
The court heard that Fahie agreed to meet with Quintero to continue discussions relating to the proposed operation, a meeting that eventually occurred on April 7 at a house in Parham Town. There Quintero explained that his organisation wanted safe passage of its drugs through the territory and revealed plans to conduct a trial shipment containing 3,000 kilograms.
Recordings played unveiled a fee structure where Fahie was to receive 12 percent of the profits with 2 percent of those funds to pay bribes to allow for the smooth passage of the drugs. The court also heard that at one point Fahie questioned whether Quintero was an undercover cop, but the response from the confidential source was reassuring enough for Fahie to believe otherwise. Moments later, Maynard revealed that Quintero handed Fahie a gift of $20,000 in cash and noted that he placed the money inside a briefcase that he owned. The money as explained by Quintero in the played recording was to secure the agreement with Fahie.
