Orlando Economic Partnership scrubs Goliath Ventures from website after CEO’s Ponzi scheme arrest

Orlando Economic Partnership (OEP) is quietly distancing itself from its investor who has been arrested and accused of operating at least a $328 million Ponzi scheme.

As of Tuesday evening, OEP  displayed Goliath Ventures as a investor on its website, in a class with some of the most respected organizations in Central Florida, such as Walt Disney Parks & Resorts and the University of Central Florida.

By Wednesday, OEP removed the reference to Goliath Ventures from its website after Goliath CEO Christopher Delgado was arrested and Florida Politics reached out with questions.

Delgado, who ran the Orlando cryptocurrency firm, used his reputation as a philanthropist and his affiliations with major organizations to help lure victims to give him more money, according to a federal complaint filed last week in U.S. District Court.

OEP spokesperson Laureen Martinez did not respond to Florida Politics’ questions about how much Goliath had given OEP, when the contributions were made, or the status of those funds now that the federal government has built a case against Goliath. 

OEP had listed Goliath as a “top investor” in a category dubbed “champions for broad-based prosperity.” Organizations at that level had given at least $200,000.

The U.S. Department of Justice did not immediately respond to questions late Wednesday about whether it has communicated with OEP about the money or planned to seize the funds.

Orange County Commissioner Nicole Wilson is urging the county to audit OEP as she said OEP’s dealings with Goliath raise alarms.

“OEP’s ties to Goliath Ventures are deeply troubling and call into question their stewardship of taxpayer dollars,” Wilson said.

In the past, Wilson has been outspoken about her concerns with OEP, a public-private partnership. She has pushed for greater accountability and for the county to examine how OEP spends its dollars, similar to how the county recently reviewed its contract with Visit Orlando. 

At least one other organization that benefited from Delgado’s generosity already reacted to the news of Delgado’s arrest.

The Orlando Sentinel reported Delgado offered to donate $2 million in 2025 to Victoria’s Voice, a nonprofit founded by the late Westgate Resorts founder David Siegel and his wife Jacqueline Siegel for combatting drug abuse.

“Leah Shepherd, the executive director of Victoria’s Voice, said Wednesday the organization only ever received $250,000 from Delgado, none of which was spent,” the Sentinel story said. “The group’s board decided earlier Wednesday to set the funds aside while the investigation into Delgado is ongoing.”

Fox 35 Orlando reported Delgado listed other charitable gifts to Runway to Hope, the Orlando Magic’s Youth Foundation, and Central Florida SC Youth Soccer Club.

Delgado, 34, of Apopka, was arrested this week on money laundering and wire fraud charges after he was accused of operating a Ponzi scheme and then spending his victims’ money on real estate and other personal expenses, according to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court’s Orlando division.

One investor lost $720,000 after he expected to get a 7% guaranteed monthly return, the federal complaint said.

A second investor, who gave Delgado $16 million in 2024, was able to recover his money.

“Victims were induced to give money to Goliath through personal referrals, professional marketing materials, luxury events, charitable sponsorships and some monthly payments of purported returns, all of which were designed to establish Goliath’s bona fides with investors,” the criminal complaint said.

In 2023, Goliath hosted an investor event at the Four Seasons Resort in Disney World. The man who later lost $720,000 was impressed and “described the event as extravagant and professionally organized with numerous attendees, which further reinforced his belief that Goliath was a legitimate, well-capitalized enterprise,” the complaint continues.

People noticed that Delgado was involved in charity work and was a major sponsor, the federal complaint said, although it doesn’t specify which organization Delgado helped.

Delgado solicited his victims who were promised guarantees or low-risk monthly returns through what was called cryptocurrency “liquidity pools,” according to court records.

A liquidity pool is a “crowdsourced pool of coins or tokens,” the criminal complaint said. “Liquidity pools enable users to buy and sell cryptocurrency on decentralized exchanges.”

Instead of investing their money into cryptocurrency liquidity pools, Delgado is alleged to have paid for Christmas parties, luxury travel and bought four homes worth $1.15 million to $8.5 million in Windermere, Sanford, Kissimmee and Winter Park. 

The Ponzi scheme began to unravel in late 2025 when investors tried to get their principal back but “Goliath delayed payments, provided shifting explanations and ultimately restricted or terminated investor access to purported information about their investments.”

Delgado’s attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

“If you believe you are a victim of this offense, please email [email protected],” the U.S. Department of Justice said in a press release.