California Attorney Sentenced to 11 Years in $1 Billion DC Solar Ponzi Scheme

Ari J. Lauer, a former San Francisco Bay Area lawyer, was convicted for his role in the massive fraud.

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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A former San Francisco Bay Area attorney, Ari J. Lauer, has been sentenced to 11 years and 5 months in prison for his involvement in the $1 billion DC Solar Ponzi scheme. Lauer pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, as well as multiple counts of bank fraud and wire fraud affecting a financial institution. Prosecutors said Lauer's participation was crucial to the scheme's operation, and that he should have been the first to recognize and stop the fraud.

Why it matters

The DC Solar case is considered the largest criminal fraud in the history of the Eastern District of California. It highlights the role that professionals, such as attorneys, can play in enabling and perpetuating large-scale financial crimes. The sentencing of Lauer sends a strong message about the consequences of such behavior.

The details

Lauer, 61, was indicted in 2023 and pled guilty in October, a week before his trial was scheduled to start. Prosecutors said that without Lauer's participation, the DC Solar fraud scheme would not have been operational. They described Lauer as the "only attorney involved" and stated that he should have been the first to recognize and stop the fraud, but instead was the last to accept responsibility. The scheme involved the manufacture and leasing of mobile solar generators, which prosecutors said was a front for a Ponzi scheme that raised $759.4 million from investors.

  • Lauer was indicted in 2023.
  • Lauer pled guilty in October, a week before his trial was scheduled to start.
  • Lauer was sentenced on March 10, 2026.

The players

Ari J. Lauer

A 61-year-old former San Francisco Bay Area attorney who was convicted for his role in the $1 billion DC Solar Ponzi scheme.

Jeff Carpoff

The founder of DC Solar, who pled guilty in 2020 and is currently serving a 30-year prison sentence.

Paulette Carpoff

The wife of Jeff Carpoff, who pled guilty in 2020 and is currently serving a sentence of 11 years and 3 months.

Eric Grant

The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of California, who announced Lauer's sentence.

Sid Patel

The FBI Sacramento Special Agent in Charge, who commented on Lauer's role in the scheme.

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What they’re saying

“Without the participation of Lauer, the DC Solar fraud scheme would never have been operational. As the only attorney involved, he should have been the first person to recognize the fraud and stop it. Instead, he was the last person to accept responsibility, only doing so on the eve of trial.”

— Eric Grant, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of California (cbsnews.com)

“Ari Lauer intentionally used his position as an attorney to provide the illusion of legitimacy to DC Solar's fraudulent scheme. He hid uncomfortable truths behind claims of confidentiality while profiting from the arrangement and mistakenly assumed that law enforcement would not catch on.”

— Sid Patel, FBI Sacramento Special Agent in Charge (cbsnews.com)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Ari J. Lauer to appeal his 11-year sentence.

The takeaway

This case highlights the critical role that professionals, such as attorneys, can play in enabling large-scale financial crimes. It serves as a warning that those who abuse their positions of trust to facilitate fraud will face significant consequences.