Who was behind the ‘Ponzi-scheme’ that duped Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway?
- Accused couple allegedly financed their purchase of luxury vehicles including two Jaguars, two Bentleys, a Cadillac, a boat, a luxury motorhome, and a US$1 million Mustang
The couple accused of fleecing Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway in an alleged US$800 million “Ponzi-type” scheme bought at least 90 vehicles using funds from the scam, according to federal investigators.
Jeff and Pauline Carpoff’s company, DC Solar, financed their purchase of luxury vehicles including two Jaguars, two Bentleys, a Cadillac, a boat, a luxury motorhome, and a million-dollar Mustang, court filings show.
They made the purchases from 2011 to 2018, when they also spent more than US$40 million on real estate including a Las Vegas mansion, two condos in Lake Tahoe, and a holiday home in Scottsdale, according to court documents.
“We completely disagree with the [FBI’s] claim that DC Solar was a Ponzi scheme and with any assertion that Jeff Carpoff acted improperly,” said Malcolm Segal, the Carpoffs’ attorney, in an email to Business Insider. He added they have been working to “reimburse investor companies to see that they do not suffer a loss”.
Federal investigators used bank and vehicle records to identify the makes and models of more than 50 vehicles bought by the Carpoffs, and how much they paid. The list below shows 11 of the priciest ones.
2017 Cadillac CTS-V – US$95,105
2012 Jaguar XKR – US$98,682
Bennington Pontoon – US$100,000