Miami developer Avra Jain, known for her work in revitalizing historic neighborhoods, is facing renewed legal pressure as creditors attempt to recover a $2.4 million court judgment against her.
Nearly five years after the ruling, creditors claim Avra Jain has failed to make any payments and are now seeking to reclaim more than $15,000 in donations she made to the University of Miami (UM) following the court’s decision.
Creditors seek return of university donations
In a recent motion, the creditors requested that UM return $15,435 in contributions Jain has made since April 2021, citing them as “fraudulent transfers.” According to the filing, these payments were classified as "Outright Gifts" in the university’s records, with funds directed to the School of Architecture, Miller School of Medicine, and the Athletics department. The motion argues that since Jain has outstanding legal debts, these donations should be redirected to satisfy her financial obligations.
Avra Jain, alongside her wife, Dalia Lagoa, operates Vagabond Group, a real estate development firm known for its investments in Little Haiti, Wynwood, Midtown, and the MiMo District. The company is also behind Factory Town, a popular entertainment venue in Hialeah. While Jain has built a reputation for transforming Miami’s urban landscape, her legal troubles date back more than a decade.
Avra Jain's Legal and financial troubles
In 2009, Jain became entangled in a legal dispute with her former business partner, Abraham Cohen, over a failed luxury condominium project in Doral. Cohen sued Jain and her company, H-H Investments LLC, for $4.1 million, alleging they stopped making payments on his $5 million stake in the project. Jain countersued, claiming Cohen misrepresented the project's viability. However, in 2017, a Miami-Dade judge ruled in Cohen’s favor, awarding him an $8.2 million judgment.
Following this setback, Avra Jain filed a malpractice lawsuit against her former attorneys at Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, accusing them of mishandling her case. She sought $15 million in damages, alleging that her legal team failed to challenge Cohen’s claims due to a procedural oversight. However, in 2020, Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Michael Hanzman dismissed Jain’s lawsuit, calling it a “misguided and desperate attempt” to shift blame for her financial losses. As a result, Jain was ordered to pay $2.4 million in legal fees to her former attorneys.
Upcoming court battle over donations
Despite the court ruling, Jain has yet to settle the debt, which has since grown to more than $3 million with interest. Her creditors have actively pursued collection efforts, but claim she has hindered their attempts through legal maneuvers. Their latest move targets her donations to UM, arguing that she should not be making charitable contributions while ignoring her financial obligations.
The creditors' attorneys have sent a demand letter to the university, urging them to return the funds Avra Jain donated. "The judgment creditors are hopeful that UM will cooperate with its demands and return the funds fraudulently transferred to it by Jain," their motion states, emphasizing the lengthy battle to recover the outstanding judgment.
Jain’s legal team, however, argues that the creditors have no right to claim these funds. They assert that the donations came from a joint bank account shared with her wife, Dalia Lagoa, and, therefore cannot be considered Jain’s personal assets. They also contend that creditors cannot pursue fraud claims under two separate Florida statutes.
The case is set to be heard in court on February 20, where a judge will determine whether the university must return the donations or if Avra Jain can continue her financial contributions without interference from creditors.
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