DC Solar

DC Solar Solutions Inc.

Company type	Private
Industry	Solar energy
Founded	2008
Founder	Jeffrey Carpoff
Defunct	2018
Headquarters	Benicia, California , United States
Products	Solar panels (Solar Eclipse brand)

DC Solar Solutions Inc., operating under the name DC Solar, was a solar energy provider headquartered in Benicia, California. Established in 2008 by Jeffrey Carpoff, a former automotive technician, the enterprise was shuttered by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in 2018 following its exposure as a multibillion-dollar Ponzi scheme.

Company history

Founded in 2008 by Jeffrey Carpoff in Concord, California, DC Solar rapidly attracted substantial capital, including a $340 million investment from Berkshire Hathaway. The firm marketed solar panels under the brand Solar Eclipse through subsidiaries such as DC Solar Freedom, focusing on clients like higher education institutions—including California State University and Long Beach City College—as well as NASCAR venues. DC Solar also served as a sponsor for Chip Ganassi Racing and multiple NASCAR events during 2018. Prior to its downfall, the company came under scrutiny by the Internal Revenue Service in 2016 due to suspected financial discrepancies.

In December 2018, the FBI conducted a raid on DC Solar amid accusations of operating a Ponzi scheme, which precipitated the company’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy declaration. Investigations uncovered that Carpoff and his wife Paulette deceived investors by promising federal solar tax credits, lease payments, and profits while diverting funds toward extravagant personal expenditures including real estate acquisitions, private jets, jewelry, ownership of a semi-professional baseball team (Martinez Clippers), and sponsorship deals. The majority of lease income was financed using capital from new investors, and it was revealed that as many as 75% of the purported 17,000 mobile solar generators were fictitious. Devices intended to track the units’ locations were buried underground to feign active deployment.

In 2019, law enforcement auctioned off more than 150 vehicles confiscated from the Carpoffs, encompassing both classic and modern cars such as Kyle Larson’s victorious 2018 Coca-Cola Firecracker 250 racecar. The scandal prompted Chip Ganassi Racing to disband its NASCAR Xfinity Series team and sparked litigation involving International Speedway Corporation and SunTrust Bank regarding the ownership of the solar generators. In January 2020, the Carpoffs admitted guilt to charges of wire fraud and money laundering, surrendering $120 million in assets; four additional associates also entered guilty pleas.

On November 9, 2021, Jeffrey Carpoff received a 30-year prison sentence for conspiracy related to wire fraud and money laundering. Paulette Carpoff and five other defendants likewise pleaded guilty to associated offenses.

Sponsorship

DC Solar initiated its involvement in NASCAR sponsorship at the end of 2014 through collaboration with then-ARCA Racing Series competitor Brennan Poole. They supported Poole’s transition to the NASCAR Xfinity Series with HScott Motorsports driving the No. 42 car, replacing Dylan Kwasniewski after Rockstar Energy withdrew their sponsorship. In 2016, DC Solar extended its backing to include select appearances by Christopher Bell and Kyle Larson in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. By 2017, their sponsorship efforts concentrated on Chip Ganassi Racing’s NASCAR entries, supporting Poole and Larson in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.

In June 2018—approximately six months prior to a federal raid on DC Solar—Poole filed suit alleging that DC Solar, Chip Ganassi Racing, and agency Spire Sports + Entertainment conspired to shift his Xfinity Series sponsorship to Ganassi’s No. 42 Cup Series car driven by Larson. The complaint cited conflicts of interest stemming from Spire’s representation of both driver and team. Initially, Chip Ganassi Racing and Spire attributed Poole’s loss of sponsorship to performance concerns. The dispute was resolved through an out-of-court settlement shortly after the raid.

Additionally, DC Solar sponsored Xfinity Series events at both Phoenix Raceway and Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2018, along with supporting the 2016 NASCAR Truck Series race at Las Vegas (then known as the Bucked Up 200, an event). They also held naming rights for the FanGrounds section at Richmond Raceway, enhancing fan interaction experiences.