Four North Carolina lobbyists have been indicted by a Wake County Grand Jury for allegedly providing illegal gifts to Republican lawmakers by way of a bourbon-tasting trip to Kentucky, per a report by NC Newsline.

Meanwhile, in an unrelated case, five North Carolina individuals have been either cited or arrested for illegal liquor sales in Charlotte. This, according to a report by Queen City News.

NC Newsline reported that the lobbyists – Kevin Wilkinson, president and founder of the Southern Group; Bo Heath, a partner with McGuireWoods Consulting; Doug Miskew, president and founder of Public Sector Group and David Ferrell of MaynardNexsen – have been accused of  providing money and/or gifts to a group called Greater Carolina that went toward paying for the lawmakers’ travel and entertainment.

Miskew and Wilkinson were indicted for having Churchill Downs and the Sazerac Company in Louisville to pay for events benefiting the legislators and other lobbyists and staff on the trip. 

For their part, the lobbyists believe they did nothing illegal. 

“Integrity, accountability, and transparency are not just professional obligations for me, they are core values,” Wilkinson told NC Newsline. “I welcome a complete and thorough review of the circumstances, and I’m confident I will be cleared of any charges through a fair judicial process.”

The news outlet described Greater Carolina as a “nonprofit conservative social welfare organization created to promote pro-business and free-market policies in North Carolina.”

Republican state lawmaker Jason Saine resigned from the legislature in 2024 following the trip.

Illegal Sales

In Charlotte, the Mecklenburg County’s Alcoholic Beverage Control Board spearheaded what it called Operation High Octane, which targeted illegal liquor sales on the secondary market. Repeat offenders cited or arrested in the case included: Christopher Sweeney, 49, of Charlotte; William Kunz, 34, of Charlotte, and Istvan Martin, 58, of Waxhaw.

Additionally, undercover officers negotiated a number of purchases from illegal sellers, including an $8,500 purchase of Pappy Van Winkle bourbon, a $1,980 purchase of whiskeys including E.H. Taylor and Weller 107, and a $1,940 purchase of several bottles including George T. Stagg bourbon and Thomas Handy rye.

“This is not casual activity — this is a calculated effort to bypass regulations designed to ensure fairness and safety,” ABC law enforcement said in a statement. “These individuals understand the law and are choosing to ignore it.” 

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