"FBI Comes Knocking After Federally Backed Solyndra Fails"

"SAN JOSE, Calif. — Federal agents searched Solyndra Inc.'s Fremont, Calif., headquarters Thursday, just days after the high-profile solar manufacturer filed for bankruptcy protection and a week before its top executives are expected to testify before Congress.

Solyndra, which manufactured tubular-shaped solar panels for commercial rooftops, stunned the clean-tech community when it abruptly announced last week that fierce competition from China had forced it to suspend operations and immediately lay off 1,100 employees.

Solyndra was awarded a $535 million loan guarantee from the Department of Energy that has come under intense scrutiny in the wake of the company's spectacular collapse.

At least 30 FBI agents and investigators from the Department of Energy's Office of Inspector General descended on Solyndra's campus starting at 7 a.m."

Dana Hull, Lisa Fernandez and George Avalos report for the San Jose Mercury-News/McClatchy-Tribune News Service September 8, 2011.

SEE ALSO:

"F.B.I. Raids Solar Firm That Got U.S. Loans" (New York Times)

"Solyndra Investigation Expands as Agents Visit Executives’ Homes" (iWatch/CPI)

"Solyndra's Bankruptcy, And How the Government Was Involved" (Marketplace/APM)

"Congress Calls Hearing About Huge Loan to 'Connected' Energy Firm" (ABC News/iWatch)

"Solyndra Officials Made Numerous Trips To the White House, Logs Show" (Daily Caller)

Editorial: "Lessons From the Solyndra Debacle" (Washington Post)