CEO of DC Solar, a Chip Ganassi Racing sponsor, has home raided by FBI
The home of the CEO of DC Solar was raided by the FBI on Tuesday.
According to the San Jose Mercury News, witnesses said “at least 20” agents came to the home of Jeff and Paulette Carpoff. The couple owns an independent league baseball team in California and Jeff is the CEO of DC Solar.
The agency confirmed that it executed search warrants on the home but did not comment on any other aspect of their investigation.
DC Solar has become a major NASCAR sponsor in recent years. The company has a Cup Series and Xfinity Series sponsorship with Chip Ganassi Racing and also has agreements at NASCAR tracks to provide solar-powered lighting.
Carpoff has been an advocate for Ross Chastain, who drove three races in a DC Solar-sponsored car in the Xfinity Series in 2018. Chastain won one of those races and earned himself a full-time ride with Ganassi’s Xfinity Series team in 2019.
DC Solar was a primary sponsor for 16 Cup Series races for Kyle Larson and Jamie McMurray in 2018 and 10 Xfinity Series races for CGR’s No. 42 car. The team said it was monitoring the situation regarding the raid.
TV station @KTVU says DC Solar HQ was raided by FBI and @mercnews says FBI also raided home of Jeff Carpoff. @CGRTeams says: “Although we have received little in the way of facts, we are aware of the situation with DC Solar and are monitoring it closely.” https://t.co/5lAJAvcYO6
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) December 21, 2018
Both Ganassi and DC Solar were at the center of lawsuit earlier in 2018. Driver Brennan Poole alleged that Ganassi and management company Spire conspired to move DC Solar from his Xfinity Series car to Kyle Larson’s Cup Series car. Poole drove for CGR in the Xfinity Series and brought the company to the team.
“CGR, directly, and in secret actions and communications with Spire, began actively pursuing and developing a relationship with DC Solar with the ultimate goal of terminating the association between Brennan Poole and DC Solar and facilitating the diversion of DC Solar’s sponsorship from Brennan Poole to CGR,” the lawsuit said.
Poole parted ways with the team after the 2017 season. CGR responded to the suit in part by saying Poole never got a win with the team “despite the advantages of the best equipment in the garage.”
– – – – – – –
Nick Bromberg is a writer for Yahoo Sports.
Follow @NickBromberg on Twitter
More from Yahoo Sports:
• Josh Gordon’s career hits another bump in the road
• College football’s early signing period winners and losers
• Watch: Recruit’s heartwarming signing announcement
• Kansas City star QB inks Hunt’s Ketchup deal
