Donor and consultant sentenced for attempting to bribe North Carolina insurance commissioner _____________

Greg Lindberg and his associate, John Gray, were convicted a second time of attempting to bribe the state's insurance commissioner in North Carolina. The federal jury found them guilty of bribery and conspiracy to commit "honest services wire fraud." This incident involved trying to secure preferential regulatory treatment for Lindberg's insurance business. Both Lindberg and Gray had been convicted of the same crimes in 2020, but their convictions were vacated in 2022 by a three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia, due to misleading instructions given to jurors before deliberations. The retrial of Lindberg and Gray began last week in federal court before U.S. District Judge Max Cogburn, who also presided over the 2020 trial. U.S. Attorney Dena King stated that the defendants executed an intricate scheme involving substantial campaign contributions to an elected official in exchange for favorable treatment, emphasizing that it was not a lapse in judgment but a calculated bribery attempt and a blatant violation of federal law. Lindberg and Gray were among four individuals indicted in 2019 for allegedly trying to provide $1.5 million to Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey's election campaign in exchange for the removal of an insurance official who would regulate Lindberg's company. Former U.S. Rep. Robin Hayes, a codefendant in the case, pleaded guilty in 2019 to making a false statement to FBI agents while he was the state Republican Party chairman. He cooperated with prosecutors and received probation. President Donald Trump later pardoned Hayes. Causey, who was not accused of wrongdoing, alerted authorities and recorded conversations that led to the indictments against Lindberg and Gray in 2019. The fourth person indicted in the case was acquitted at trial. During the 2020 trial, Lindberg's lawyers argued that he was not guilty and was entrapped by Causey's involvement with authorities. Despite the defense's arguments, both Lindberg and Gray were convicted in the retrial. Lindberg's attorney expressed surprise at the verdict and vowed to continue fighting, while Gray's lawyer maintained that both clients had acted in good faith without criminal intent. Lindberg also faced separate federal criminal charges last year related to an alleged scheme to skim money from his insurance companies and lying about it to regulators. These counts included wire fraud, conspiracy, and making false insurance business statements. The maximum penalty Lindberg and Gray face is 30 years in prison, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. A sentencing date has not yet been set for the convicted individuals. The legal proceedings surrounding this high-profile bribery case in North Carolina have drawn attention to the complexities of campaign contributions, regulatory influence, and the consequences of attempting to manipulate the system for personal gain. https://therealcrimediary.com/donor-and-consultant-sentenced-for-attempting-to-bribe-north-carolina-insurance-commissioner-_____________/?feed_id=54720&_unique_id=665bee8dbc6a6

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