Major Ponzi scheme has Lake Mary connection, investigators say

LAKE MARY, Fla. — State investigators are going after people in what they called a widespread and brazen fraud scheme involving millions of dollars.

The case surrounds an investment firm based in Pinellas County.

Investigators believe part of the operation was conducted inside a Lake Mary gated community.

A neighbor in the exclusive Heathrow community didn’t want to be identified, but said she was surprised to learn about the search warrant for the luxury home.

“It’s very odd to find that in Heathrow, extremely odd,” she said.

Investigators said they confiscated two computers that may have been used in part of the operation.

The state Office of Financial Regulation has taken civil action against two people who live in the home, Irwin Ager and Teresa Bordinat.

They said the couple and four others were involved in an investment firm based in Pinellas County called Tri-Med Corporation.

Investigators said it made its money by selling securities that were supposed to be invested in medical practices accounts receivables.

But investigators said many of the medical companies claimed they never did business with Tri-Med and the money was never invested.

Investigators believe at least 230 Floridians have been scammed in the operation.

While Ager and Bordinat still appear to be living in the Heathrow home, the state has seized 22 bank account totaling $5 million related to the case.

It doesn’t appear anyone else has been arrested so far, but the Office of Financial Regulation said this is part of an ongoing investigation.

WFTV