Lindsay Lohan’s brother sued for sinister scheme to allegedly illegally overcharge rent in NYC
Lindsay Lohan’s younger brother, Michael Lohan Jr., is now the target of a lawsuit filed by New York’s Attorney General, who claims he helped the real‑estate firm Peak Capital Advisors illegally deregulate more than 150 rent‑stabilized units across Brooklyn and Queens. The suit alleges that, since 2019, Peak purchased 31 buildings in hot neighborhoods such as Greenpoint and Williamsburg and then converted 159 apartments from rent‑stabilized to market‑rate. The allegations say the company’s goal was to lure young professionals willing to pay upwards of $6,500 a month, ignoring the protections that are meant to keep rent affordable.
According to the complaint, Peak specifically sought out properties in gentrifying areas – Sunnyside, Astoria, Long Island City and Greenpoint – because they were seen as having “significant upside potential.” The lawsuit argues that the firm took advantage of a state housing law exemption intended to spur the renovation of seriously deteriorated buildings. Instead, Peak is accused of renovating for profit, at the expense of tenants. The court records supposedly show that many of the buildings were in average or good condition when purchased, meaning they never met the legal threshold for deregulation. After the renovations, the developers allegedly reassigned apartment numbers to make it harder for tenants and regulators to track rent, further obscuring the wrongdoing.
Michael Lohan Jr. is listed as a principal and head of Peak’s investor‑relations division. The lawsuit claims he received unlawful profits from the properties, both directly and through the rent paid by residents. The case, brought jointly by the Attorney General’s office and the state’s Homes and Community Renewal commission, seeks repayment of the overcharged rent and damages for the affected tenants.
In a statement, Attorney General Letitia James said, “It is no secret that New York City is already battling an affordable housing crisis, and yet Peak and its operators still chose to line their own pockets at New Yorkers’ expense.” She added, “As these bad actors illegally raked in profits, affordable housing in New York grew even more scarce, and that is unacceptable. Let this lawsuit be a warning: when corporate developers and bad landlords try to cheat housing laws, my office will always take aggressive action to stop them.”
The suit also names Juan David Gomez, Alex Rabin, Amnay Labou, Bryan Anderson, Alex Kaskel, and Alex Mendik as other defendants. Peak Capital Advisors has not yet responded to the New York Post’s request for comment.
Stay informed on all the latest news, real-time breaking news updates, and follow all the important headlines in world News on Latest NewsX. Follow us on social media Facebook, Twitter(X), Gettr and subscribe our Youtube Channel.
