The owners of a San Francisco Bay Area solar energy company pleaded guilty Friday to charges that they plotted a massive Ponzi scheme that defrauded investors of $1 billion.
![California couple pleads guilty to plotting $1B Ponzi scheme](https://media.zenfs.com/en/ap.org/6031c6f4919d558934ef96ad3d7e3603)
As part of their plea deal, prosecutors said the husband and wife team from Martinez agreed to forfeit over $120 million in assets, including a fleet of collector cars and v acation homes in the Caribbean, Lake Tahoe and
Las Vegas purchased entirely with cash.
Jeff Carpoff, 49, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering, which carry a maximum penalty of up to 30 years in
prison, the U.S. Attorney's office in Sacramento said.