Overview
- U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd handed down the sentence on Monday in what prosecutors call the Eastern District of California’s largest criminal fraud case.
- Lauer, 61, pleaded guilty on Oct. 14, 2025—one week before trial—to conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud, 12 counts of bank fraud, and 10 counts of wire fraud affecting a financial institution.
- Serving as DC Solar’s outside counsel from 2009 to January 2019, Lauer participated in a concealment strategy that routed investor money through circular “re‑rent” transfers as real third‑party demand stayed below about 5%.
- Investigators say investors contributed about $759.4 million between 2011 and 2018, with total transactions tied to roughly $912 million and claims of about 17,000 generators, around 9,000 of which did not exist.
- Other conspirators have received lengthy sentences, including founder Jeff Carpoff’s 30 years, and remaining defendant Ronald J. Roach is scheduled for sentencing on April 13 following an FBI, IRS‑CI and FDIC‑OIG investigation.