FBI Now Investigating California Solar Firm Tied To Tulsa Billionaire

Russell Hulstine, NewsOn6.com

FREMONT, California -- California news media are reporting the FBI served search warrants at the offices of the bankrupt Solyndra solar panel firm Thursday morning.

Solyndra filed for bankruptcy Tuesday, September 6, 2011.

As reported on NewsOn6.com on September 1, 2011, the solar power company was backed financially by the U.S. government and Tulsa billionaire George Kaiser's private equity firm.

9/1/2011 Related Story: Congress Investigates Solar Company Tied To Tulsa Billionaire

Kaiser's Argonaut Private Equity firm was the largest shareholder of Solyndra, which received $535 million in federal loans.

The FBI's investigation comes after a request by the Department of Energy's inspector general, FBI spokesman Peter Lee said Thursday.

Solyndra officials made numerous visits -- 20 -- to the White House, according to logs and reporting by The Daily Caller.

According to The Daily Caller, the logs show the Solyndra officials who visited the White House included chairman and founder Christian Gronet and board members Thomas Baruch and David Prend.

Between early 2009 and June of this year, George Kaiser visited the White House 16 times according to visitor logs released by the White House.

The U.S. Department of Energy is one of the largest creditors in the bankruptcy case, pressing to reclaim a $527 million federal loan.

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that an intercreditor agreement filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware ranks the federal loan behind a $69 million loan from lenders led by Argonaut Private Equity.