US Ambassador to Guyana, Nicole Theriot, today said Guyana Government Permanent Secretary, Mae Thomas, who was sanctioned alongside Guyanese Billionaires Nazar Mohamed and Azruddin Mohamed, is still under US sanctions.  

Sanctioned by the US Department of Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) in June 2024, Mae Thomas was accused of corrupt practices, including using her position as Permanent Secretary to manipulate processes to favour the Mohameds. She was sent on administrative leave by the Guyana Government after the sanctions were handed down.

While Ambassador Theriot confirmed to reporters that Mae Thomas remains under US sanctions, she said that she is not aware that the U.S Government has provided the Guyanese Government with information on the acts of corruption allegedly committed by Mae Thomas.

“I am not aware of that. Typically when an investigation is ongoing, and of course the Mohameds are still going through the extradition request process, we wouldn’t share information with the public because it is still ongoing” Ambassador Theriot said.

Months after Mae Thomas was sanctioned alongside the Mohameds, Attorney General Anil Nandlall, said the US Justice Department had provided the Government of Guyana with information on the alleged crimes committed by the trio that led to them being sanctioned by the US.

However, while the State had pursued a number of criminal charges against the Mohameds, who are now facing an extradition hearing, the Government has been silent on the serious allegations made against Mae Thomas.

Meanwhile, in the matter involving former Guyana Police Force Commander, Himnauth Sawh, the U.S Ambassador said the embattled police officer and the other Guyanese men who were named by OFAC in June 2025 also remain under US sanctions.

“So for our part in the United States, the OFAC sanctions remain, they are not going anywhere. I think that there are still other investigations ongoing potentially on the criminal level but I don’t have any updates on that,” Ambassador Theriot said.

Sawh was the Commander for the Police Division in Region One, when 4.4 tonnes of cocaine was discovered buried in bunkers in the North West District in September 2024.

He was named alongside Mark Cromwell known as ‘Demon,’ Paul Daby, Randolph Duncan and two Colombians.

Last month, Minister of Home Affairs, Oneidge Walrond told reporters that Sawh was still on administrative leave, and the investigation into his alleged involvement in an international drug ring was still ongoing.

Ambassador Theriot said to her knowledge the US has not submitted Extradition Requests to the Government of Guyana in the case of Mae Thomas or the embattled policeman.

 “No, those haven’t come through the Embassy. If that were something that would come through the Embassy, which would be a normal process, we have not received that,” U.S Ambassador said.

The extradition requests in the case of the Mohameds remains in effect, and the matter is currently before the Courts.

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