Feds: Hayes conspired to BRIBE, LIED to the FBI

 

It’s getting worse, people.  Details from the US attorney’s office are shedding even more light on the accusations against the sitting NCGOP chairman.

 

Here’s a copy of the indictment against Robin Hayes and three others.  

 

(Proceed carefully,  The details in the indictment read like a screenplay for the next Martin Scorsese mafia thriller. )

 

And here’s a press release from the federal prosecutor offering further details:

[…] The indictment charges Greg E. Lindberg, 48, of Durham, North Carolina, and founder and Chairman ofEli Global LLC (Eli Global) and the owner of Global Bankers Insurance Group (GBIG); John D. Gray, 68,of Chapel Hill, North Carolina and a consultant for Lindberg; North Carolina state political party Chairman Robert Cannon Hayes, 73, of Concord, North Carolina; and Chairman of a Chatham County politicalparty and an Eli Global executive John V. Palermo, 63, of Pittsboro, North Carolina, with conspiracy to  commit honest services wire fraud, and bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds and aiding and abetting. Hayes is also charged with three counts of making false statements to the
FBI. […]

“The indictment unsealed today outlines a brazen bribery scheme in which Greg Lindberg and hiscoconspirators allegedly offered hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions inexchange for official action that would benefit Lindberg’s business interests,” said AssistantAttorney General  Benczkowski. “Bribery of public officials at any level of government underminesconfidence in our political system. The Criminal Division will use all the tools at our disposal—including the assistance of  law-abiding public officials—to relentlessly investigate and prosecute corruption wherever we find it.”

“Thanks to the voluntary reporting of the North Carolina Commissioner of Insurance, we have uncovered an alleged scheme to violate our federal public corruption laws,” said U.S. Murray. “Improper campaign contributions erode the public’s trust in our political institutions. We will work with our law enforcement partners to investigate allegations of public corruption, safeguard the integrity of the democratic process,  and prosecute those who compromise it.”

 

“These men crossed the line from fundraising to felonies when they devised a plan to use their connections to a political party to attempt to influence the operations and policies of the North Carolina Department of Insurance,” said Special Agent in Charge Strong. “The FBI will root out any and all forms of public corruption. We remain committed to ensuring those who violate the public’s sacred trust are held accountable.” […]