MIAMI -- The first in a possible series of civil lawsuits against Fort Lauderdale attorney Scott Rothstein officially has been filed.

TD Bank and three of its top executives are named as defendants in the civil suit, along with Rothstein, his law firm's chief operating officer, Debra Villegas and others.

"Everybody that touched this, that knew about this, that was a conspirator, a co-conspirator or was in the main conspiracy, and you see how we've alleged it, but principally the principal defendant is TD Bank," said William Scherer, an attorney representing the investors who filed the lawsuit.

The lawsuit alleged that TD Bank officers and Rothstein's confidantes at his law firms knew of an alleged Ponzi scheme he is accused of running, soliciting billions of dollars from investors who were promised big returns from lawsuit settlements in alleged fake cases, Local 10's Neki Mohan reported.

Rothstein has not been charged criminally, but federal authorities are investigating the alleged scheme, which is estimated to involve $1 billion.

Most of the investors who filed suit want to remain anonymous, filing under investment group names. The largest investors in the suit, however, are the Von Allmen family.

"My lawsuit is for $100 million on behalf of my clients, probably $400 on behalf of others, plus punitive damages for allowing this to happen," Scherer said.

Rothstein's law firm, Rothstein Rosenfeldt Adler, is in bankruptcy proceedings.

Rothstein also has voluntarily petitioned to be disbarred by the state.

"When you have acts of dishonesty, it doesn't take a criminal conviction. People can be disbarred for acts of dishonesty and other infractions," said Jesse Diner, of the Florida Bar Association.