A New York Times piece investigating the life and death of Seth Tobias wove a lurid tale of drug-fueled sexual decadence and lifestyle excesses culminating with the alleged murder of the hedge-fund hotshot by his scheming wife.

The article ran Tuesday. Meanwhile, a legal battle for the $25 million Tobias estate between his volatile spouse Filomena and his family is ongoing. The astounding account centered on the accusation by the Tobias clan that Filomena lured her intoxicated husband into the swimming pool of his mansion with the promise of sex with a male stripper in order to cause his death.

Tobias died in September. It was reported that police discovered Tobias floating facedown in the pool of his Florida mansion after responding to a 911 call from Filomena. A heart attack was at first the suspected cause of death. Tobias was 44.

The newspaper proffered that the Tobias saga has “captivated” the jet set of his West Palm Beach, Fla. milieu and “transfixed” the investment scene in New York, where Tobias ran his Circle T hedge fund while serving as a CNBC financial-market commentator akin to his former boss Jim Crammer.

According to the newspaper, the Tobias family alleged Filomena orchestrated his murder in a civil complaint. A onetime assistant to Tobias named Bill Ash, who has a police record for being involved in prostitution, has claimed Filomena confessed on tape that she cajoled a confused, cocaine-bingeing Tobias into the water with the promise of sex with a male go-go dancer called Tiger.

After Tobias died, Filomena then spent almost $10,000 to have the pool drained and resurfaced, according to the claim.

The article recalled how Tobias started Circle T in 1996 with $4 million and built it to a $300 million operation, all the while following a path of sordid excess that included drug-taking, gambling and reckless spending. His short marriage to Filomena was tempestuous and included a near-divorce not long after their wedding.

The newspaper said the couple also frequented a Florida gay bar, where Ash said Tobias met Tiger.

The night of his death, Tobias drank and used cocaine, according to Filomena. The newspaper said it is not clear what happened up to the point when police found Tobias dead, but noted his nose, forehead and back were bruised and cut. Filomena refused to let police enter the premises without a search warrant. Once inside, police found a Ziploc bag containing a white, powder-like substance, the newspaper said.

Filomena has denied the allegation and retained a legal team staffed with her lawyer ex-husband. The police have not opened a homicide investigation but are awaiting the result of a toxicology test.