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t least eleven investors have filed lawsuits against Andrew Collins in both state and federal courts, asserting that he owes them about $143 million in total. Some cases have already resulted in judgments, while others are still pending. The complaints allege a pattern of broken promises: Collins or his companies would secure loans, default on them, settle lawsuits, then default again; offer investors the option to convert loans into equity, only to transfer those assets to a new entity. Collins’ attorneys deny all claims, calling the filings mere accusations that have not been proven. Mark W. Corner, Collins’ lawyer, noted that Collins has repaid $34.6 million of the $52 million borrowed, and that many lawsuits seek “substantial accumulated interest” that was a selling point for the project. He also pointed out that some lenders are barred from seeking damages because they agreed to convert their loans to ownership stakes. “The amount you keep citing is based on allegations—nothing more,” Corner said. “There is a big difference between an unverified claim in a pleading and a final determination.”
Andrew Collins left his South Boston home earlier this month. Both he and his twin brother, Senator Nick Collins, emphasize that Nick has no involvement in Andrew’s real‑estate ventures. A spokesperson said, “Senator Collins maintains a separate professional life from his family, in line with state conflict‑of‑interest laws.” Nick, a long‑time South Boston resident and former state representative, has represented the area on the state senate floor since 2018 and is known for his business‑friendly stance on development.
Over the past several years, Andrew Collins built a portfolio of residential properties in South Boston, borrowing against many of them. The centerpiece of the lawsuits is a low‑rise warehouse and self‑storage complex on Dorchester and Old Colony Avenues, a block that the city highlighted in 2016 as a prime spot for new development between the Broadway and Andrew MBTA stations. The city’s plan called for up to 16 million square feet of mixed‑use space, and developers moved quickly to transform the area into a blend of housing, retail, offices, and modern industrial buildings. Between 2016 and 2024, city officials approved 6.7 million square feet of projects along the corridor, and nearly a dozen housing projects were built, though some remain unfinished amid market turbulence.
Collins assembled parcels at 376‑384, 400, 404, and 408‑410 Dorchester Ave., 135 Old Colony Ave., and 30 D St.—a total of 3.2 acres. The site’s potential is significant; across the street, National Development has approvals for a four‑building life‑science and residential complex up to 15 stories high. Collins pitched investors that the block could yield hundreds of thousands of square feet of lab space or housing, but he never formally proposed a project to the city. Corner described the parcels as a “prime city block of land…more valuable in the aggregate,” attracting sophisticated investors locally and nationally. Another attorney, Raymond P. Ausrotas, said the project had been delayed by market and economic conditions.
Cottonwood Group, a private‑equity firm that built a $900 million mixed‑use project in the Seaport, invested $130 million in Collins’s venture in 2022 but later exited after being repaid. Jeffrey Horowitz, Cottonwood’s CFO, confirmed the loan was repaid in 2023. Extell Development Co., a New York firm behind Manhattan’s Billionaires’ Row towers, joined the project in 2023. Extell now claims ownership of the entire parcel and adjacent property, planning a 7‑acre development. “Andrew Collins has no financial interest or business involvement with the current development team,” a statement from Extell, contractor JT Magen & Co., and Boston‑based HYM Investment Group said. They expressed eagerness to collaborate with the city to deliver needed housing.
Collins disputes Extell’s claim, insisting he still holds a stake. Corner wrote that Collins and his entities own the Dot Avenue property. A Suffolk Superior Court judge ordered the sale of the properties, along with two South Boston residential units, to satisfy different investors, including two California entrepreneurs who have a judgment of more than $8.6 million against Collins. In 2016, the city completed Plan: Dot Ave., envisioning dense development from Andrew Square to the Broadway MBTA station. Judge Jackie A. Cowin directed that properties be sold one at a time until the judgment is satisfied, rejecting a claim that Collins no longer owns an interest. An appeal is pending on whether Collins retains ownership.
Collins holds a bachelor’s degree in business from Babson College. An investor from Sapphire Property Ventures, now suing Collins for $69 million, described him as “very believable” and “very trustworthy,” though “a little over his head” on such a large project. The investor noted that Collins did not mention his brother in pitches, but the family name and a promised 40 percent return added appeal. A brochure circulated to potential investors highlighted Collins’s “strong ties and longtime relationships with local officials.” Ausrotas, representing Andrew, said Nick was not included in the pitch deck prepared five years ago. “Most people would understand that a state senator is not a local official,” Ausrotas wrote. Nick Collins confirmed he was aware of Andrew’s plans but recused himself after learning of them. An attorney for Nick said financial statements required of state lawmakers show he has no financial interest in his brother’s real‑estate dealings and that it would be inappropriate to mention him in connection with family business activities.
Nick Collins, a South Boston native and former state representative, has served in the Senate since 2018 and hosts the annual St. Patrick’s Day political breakfast. He and Andrew attended Boston Latin School together, and Andrew served as his brother’s campaign treasurer from 2015 to 2017. In a deposition last year, a lawyer for two investors sued Andrew asked, “Have you used your relationship with your brother to solicit loans or investments?” Andrew responded that the question was “absurd and offensive” and that the answer was no.
Critics have targeted the brothers. Fliers appeared around South Boston last year claiming, “Andrew Collins stole my money, call Senator Nick Collins.” They were traced to Joshua Thompson, a 38‑year‑old Boston fire lieutenant who invested with Andrew and encouraged others. Thompson was arrested in August on weapons and drug charges. Police found a stockpile of assault rifles, ammunition, and body armor in his Milton home. He is on unpaid leave and receiving treatment for PTSD. Thompson’s attorneys said he denies wrongdoing and has been fully paid. His father, Peter, is among investors suing Collins for $4.3 million, alleging Collins drafted fraudulent documents to induce others to provide funds based on false repayment and security pledges.
Two California investors, Divas Pant and Dhiraj Bora, obtained an $8.6 million judgment against Collins in September after filing a third lawsuit to collect a 2021 loan. They claim Collins pledged repayment through a limited liability corporation, then ignored the pledge and merged the LLC into another. The lawsuit alleges Collins does not believe the rules apply to him. Pant and Bora are among several investors seeking to locate and seize Collins’s assets.
Multiple South Boston properties owned by Collins or LLCs he controls have been sold at auction or face foreclosure, according to bankruptcy filings and property records. His attorney said he expects a transaction on Dorchester Ave. within the next 60 days but did not elaborate. With so many lawsuits and disputes, it is hard to determine how much Andrew Collins owes. In a September 2024 deposition, Collins was vague about his debt. When asked about four judgments totaling more than $10 million, he said he did not know the total and could not estimate his debts. He explained that he would not provide an estimate if he did not know the figures.
