By Karen Freifeld

(Reuters] Despite an agreement in which Huawei’s chief Financial Officer was allowed to leave, a case against Huawei over a Chinese telecommunications company is yet to be tried in New York.

During a status conference on Wednesday, U.S. district Court Judge Ann Donnelly from Brooklyn asked the lawyers when they might expect the case to be complete.

She asked, “Are you thinking of a trial day?” She asked. She replied, “It’s insane talk.

Huawei attorney Tom Green said that “I think there is a fair amount of work to do.” 

He said COVID restrictions had impaired the preparation of a defense, adding: “I just don’t know when we’re going to be able to travel to even meet with our clients.”

Huawei Technologies Co Ltd was accused in 2018 of deceiving HSBC, other banks and misleading them about Iran business. Iran is under U.S. sanction.

Other charges against the firm were filed last year. These included conspiring to steal trade secrets of six U.S.-based technology companies, and aiding Iran in tracking protestors during antigovernment demonstrations. They have pleaded not guilty.

Green claimed that defense counsel was trying to make a number of motions prior to trial. One such motion included one to end the case.

He also said that the government still had a lot of work to do in turning over documents to defense.

Meng Wanzhou CFO resolved her portion of the case that involved misleading HSBC in September with U.S. officials.

Meng was granted permission to travel to China as part of a bilateral deferred prosecution agreement. She had previously been held in Canada on a U.S. Warrant and was fighting extradition.

The U.S. has Huawei still on its trade blacklist, which restricts the country’s purchases of U.S. technology and products.

Huawei saw a 38% drop in revenue during the third quarter compared to the previous year.

A judge set June 15 as the next date of court.