 But while First Solar officials downplayed the extent of the problem, some of them dumped personally held stock, according to court records. Mark Ahern, the company's founder and chairman alone, sold off more than $427 million in shares before the extent of the defect was made public and the stock tumbled. The ordeal ultimately cost the company $260 million to fix. Prunica, the First Solar spokesman, said the company settled the case to focus on driving the business forward, and it goes on!