Goodwin worked for donor under FBI investigation after leaving Insurance Commissioner post

RALEIGH, NC (WBTV) - Wayne Goodwin, the former North Carolina Insurance Commissioner and current North Carolina Democratic Party Chairman, has worked for the major political donor who is currently under investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The FBI is investigating Greg Lindberg, a Durham businessman, for felony crimes related to drug crimes, crimes against financial institutions or money laundering, according to a federal grand jury subpoena issued to the North Carolina Department of Insurance.

Lindberg has become a top political donor in North Carolina.

Just this cycle, for instance, he has donated roughly $1.9 million to the North Carolina Republican Party, according to NCGOP Executive Director Dallas Woodhouse.

Campaign finance records show Lindberg has also contributed $250,000 to the North Carolina Democratic Party this year.

Previous: NCGOP took nearly $2 million from donor under FBI investigation, gave some to Causey campaign

Records show Lindberg also donated to the campaign for Wayne Goodwin when he was running for re-election in 2016.

Goodwin lost his re-election effort to Mike Causey, who is currently serving as Insurance Commissioner.

Since leaving office, Goodwin has opened his own consulting firm, Seaboard Strategic Consulting, according to his LinkedIn profile and a Facebook page for the company.

Goodwin is also listed as a director of the national insurance consulting firm Nelson, Taplin, Goldwater, which is led by former US Senator Bill Nelson and former Congressman Barry Goldwater, Jr.

Part of Goodwin’s work since leaving the Department of Insurance has involved representing Lindberg and his insurance company at national industry events, including those held by groups like the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, according to a person with knowledge of Lindberg’s political operations, who asked not to be identified in order to discuss internal business arrangements.

In response to questions from WBTV about his work for Lindberg, Goodwin declined to comment but did not dispute that he has worked for Lindberg.

In addition to Goodwin, at least one other former senior official from the North Carolina Department of Insurance also works for Lindberg.

Ray Martinez, who served as a Senior Deputy Commissioner of Insurance under Goodwin, joined Lindberg’s company Global Banker’s Insurance Group as a board member in February 2017, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Lindberg has not returned a call from WBTV seeking comment related to the ongoing FBI investigation.