Sargeant, middle, introduces Gov. Charlie Crist to King Abdullah of Jordan in 2007 (AP Photo)

The GOP had better hope its longtime money man, Gulf Stream businessman Harry Sargeant, took care of the party’s finances better than he’s taking care of his own.

The shadowy Sargeant, a fraternity brother of Gov. Charlie Crist at FSU and a former finance chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, has been sued by a Boynton Beach builder.

Sargeant, who’s generous when it comes to funding GOP politics, is $500,000 behind in his payments for the construction of a $1.5 million-addition to his beachfront home, according to county records.

General contractor Curtis D. Meade is asking a Palm Beach County circuit court to foreclose on Sargeant’s, $7.2 million, 17,921-square-foot house.

Work on the half-finished construction stopped last month when it became apparent Sargeant quit paying, according to the breach of contract and unjust enrichment lawsuit. Sargeant signed the original contract with Meade in June 2009. In all, according to records, Sargeant, an energy and shipping tycoon who once had a $1 billion contract with the Pentagon, has collected seven liens from subcontractors on the job, in addition to Meade’s.

Neither Meade nor his lawyer returned calls. A Sargeant employee at his home promised to reach out to him and have him call me with a statement, but I’m still waiting.

Like disgraced lawyer and jailed Ponzi schemer Scott Rothstein, now rotting in a federal penitentiary, Sargeant has been a problem friend and fund-raiser for Crist, who’s running for the U.S. Senate.

Sargeant is widely believed to have been the sugar daddy who’d send $10,000 checks to former state Republican Party Chairman Jim Greer at a time when Greer had personal financial trouble. Greer is facing fraud and money-laundering charges for allegedly skimming $125,000 from the party’s coffers.

What’s more, Sargeant came under scrutiny during the 2008 presidential campaign, after he had raised more than $500,000 in contributions for commander-in-chief wannabe John McCain.

Many of the contributions, some as high as $4,600, supposedly came from middle to low-income families in California. Crist’s campaign has yet to comment about Sargeant’s strange habits when it comes to paying contractors.

In 2003, six local contractors filed liens against Sargeant in connection with other home improvements.

Nordegren, with baby Charlie

Tiger Woods‘ secret divorce settlement may be so expensive that he had to mortgage his home to pay for it!

Official records that just popped up in Martin County hint that Woods will have to pay ex-wife Elin Nordegren $54 million by January 2016 — or risk losing the house he spent five years building.

How do I know?

The philandering club-swinger took out a $54 million mortgage Wednesday, two days after his quickie divorce was finalized in Panama City Aug. 23.

The mortgage holder, according to the records, is a shadowy company with no apparent capital, JRD Florida Ventures LLC. And the corporation’s registered agent is none other than one of his former wife’s six divorce lawyers, Dennis Belcher.

Woods, the mortgage shows, used the Jupiter Island property, Sand Turtle, to secure the loan — which means that Nordegren could end up with that Motel 6-style crib if he doesn’t pay up.

The document was notarized by Tom Sasser, Woods’ West Palm Beach-based divorce attorney.

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Lappin

Some business practices at the Palm Beach Pops are leaving the orchestra founded by maestro Bob Lappin exposed to lawsuits and the scrutiny of the IRS, forensic accountants have told the nonprofit.

Red-flagged by the Alpern Rosenthal financial sleuths: The Pops has been plunking down $20,000 a year for the health insurances of Lappin’s fiancée and maids.

Also, staffers improperly factor in Lappin’s salary in the books, making it look like he took no pay when, indeed, he’s compensated handsomely — more than $500,000 for a season. And Lappin is reimbursed for flights on a private jet he co-owns and limo rides — even when it’s unclear whether he’s on Pops business or pleasure!

That cost the Pops more than $460,000 the past two years, according to the audit.

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