Richard Handler’s Leucadia National Corp. (LUK) added $253 million to its investment in Philip Falcone’s Harbinger Group (HRG) Inc., which owns businesses from consumer goods to insurance. Leucadia agreed to buy 23 million preferred securities in Harbinger Group from Falcone’s hedge funds for $11 apiece, Harbinger Group said today in a statement. That brings Leucadia’s total disclosed holding including common shares to $497 million, based on today’s closing price. Falcone, 51, is focused on building his publicly traded Harbinger Group after reaching a settlement with U.S. regulators that bars him from the hedge-fund industry. His Harbinger Capital Partners hedge funds are working to meet redemption requests as part of the August accord with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Falcone said in the statement that he’s pleased with the investment and called the two firms “a great fit.” [Bloomberg]