Lindberg’s Retrial, Set for Nov. 6, Could be Delayed Due to Co-Defendant’s Motion

The second trial for former insurance mogul Greg Lindberg, accused of attempting to bribe the North Carolina insurance commissioner, could be delayed, thanks to a co-defendant’s legal representation issues.

Lindberg, who created a complex web of life insurance and other companies, was found guilty of bribery charges in 2020. But a federal appeals court found that jury instructions were improper and ordered a new trial, set for Nov. 6, a month from now.

Prosecutors have said that co-defendant John Gray, of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, a business partner of Lindberg’s, worked with Lindberg in attempting to funnel large campaign contributions to Commissioner Mike Causey, so that his office might provide more relaxed regulation of Lindberg’s insurance companies. The indictment, once sealed, can be seen here.

This week, Gray asked a judge to delay the retrial until April 2024.

Federal prosecutors had challenged the fact that Gray was represented by the Parker Poe law firm, which had earlier represented another co-defendant who was acquitted. Parker Poe attorneys in August withdrew and another firm just last month took over Gray’s defense. Now, the lawyers say they need more time to prepare.

“Discovery for the initial trial was voluminous, including more than 80 hours of recorded conversations between the defendants and witnesses cooperating with the government,” Gray’s motion to continue reads. “In December 2022, the government provided six million pages of supplemental discovery in a related case involving Mr. Lindberg.”

The motion does not directly address Lindberg’s case, and Lindberg may not need to be retried at the same time as Gray, the Carolina Journal news site reported. But the judge in the case already has delayed the second trial for both men because of Gray’s legal representation. More will be known next week after a status conference, the Journal reported.

Lindberg is facing a number of other legal actions regarding his insurance companies.

Read more: Court Upholds Lindberg Fraud Judgment; Lindberg Indicted on New Federal Charges of Skimming from His Insurance Companies.