For his investors, he was the financial guru able to make them money while everyone else seemed to be losing it. Soft-spoken and well-dressed, he would lunch with clients at his favorite table at The Capital Grille in Fort Lauderdale.

George Elia, 68, stopped showing up at the restaurant last year, about the same time that some clients of his business, International Consultants & Investment Group Limited Corp., said they began having doubts about him. Those investors say they are now wondering where their money went.

The Fort Lauderdale real estate broker is under state investigation as he faces a $4 million lawsuit filed by a family alleging that Elia has been running “a massive Ponzi scheme.” Bank accounts for his businesses have been frozen because of the litigation, with an accountant finding “significant irregularities,” including Elia tapping the businesses to cover personal expenses, court records show.

In addition to the state Office of Financial Regulation confirming there is an open inquiry into Elia, three investors from Wilton Manors told the Sun Sentinel that they have been interviewed by FBI agents about their dealings with him.

“The FBI cannot confirm or deny the existence of an investigation,” said Miami spokesman Michael Leverock. “However, if anyone believes they have been a victim of investment fraud, they are encouraged to contact their local FBI office.”

Elia’s only response in court so far has been to invoke his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. Multiple calls to his two attorneys, Miami-based Andrew Rier and Massachusetts-based James N. Doherty Jr., were not returned.

Elia and his wife, Darlene, moved out of their home of 13 years overnight in January.

Elia is accused in court papers of promoting himself as an investment adviser able to generate average profits of 20 percent a year, using clients’ money to buy and sell stocks . The family suing him says that when they wanted to withdraw their money last year, Elia gave them only excuses.

“This has been emotionally devastating,” said Michael Imbesi of San Diego, whose family filed the lawsuit in Broward Circuit Court. Imbesi said his savings have been wiped out, along with those of his father, stepmother and his sister, who suffers from an incurable cancer.

Broward Circuit Judge Carol-Lisa Phillips froze five bank accounts of Elia’s businesses after an emergency injunction was filed by the Imbesis’ attorney, Jeffrey Cox. Court records show an accountant subsequently found:

• Elia transferred more than $1.6 million from an International Consultants account to a company controlled by his wife.

• Elia transferred more than $729,000 from International Consultants to another company controlled by him and his wife, Elia Realty.

• Elia withdrew at least $242,000 in cash in 2010 and 2011. An additional $21,000 went for car payments to high-end auto dealerships. Money from the corporate accounts also was used for mortgage payments and to cover lawn service, pool service and utilities.

Business records show that Elia founded International Consultants in 2000. It has listed the same address on West Prospect Road in Fort Lauderdale for the past decade. However, the building’s owner said Elia has not had an office there for at least three years, and when he did, it was a little more than a desk, and the mail would stack up between his infrequent visits.