SACRAMENTO, California — Ari J. Lauer, a 61-year-old attorney from Lafayette, has been sentenced to over 11 years in prison for his involvement in the largest criminal fraud scheme in the history of the Eastern District of California.
From 2009 to January 2019, Lauer served as outside counsel to DC Solar, providing legal and business advice that lent legitimacy to the fraudulent operations, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office. On October 14, 2025, Lauer pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud, along with multiple counts of bank and wire fraud.
U.S. Attorney Eric Grant stated, “Without the participation of Lauer, the DC Solar fraud scheme would never have been operational.” Lauer’s actions were pivotal in executing a sophisticated tax scheme, he added…