Former JPMorgan Banker Expands Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Against Banking Giant

The former JPMorgan Chase banker whose allegations of sexual harassment and racism gained widespread attention has expanded his lawsuit, adding new claims and defendants and alleging that the US banking giant’s tolerance of racial discrimination and sexual coercion irreparably damaged his career.

Chirayu Rana said racism was deeply embedded in the culture of his otherwise all-white leveraged finance team, where his South Asian heritage “became the punchline for a stream of degrading jokes”, including being called a “monkey” and “brown boy”.

A JPMorgan spokesperson, speaking on behalf of the defendants, said: “We don’t believe there is any merit to these claims. While numerous employees cooperated with the investigation, the complainant refused.”

In an 82-page complaint, Rana, who is of Nepali descent, added allegations that colleagues suggested he should conduct transactions in rupees, while one allegedly texted that he should “run before we call ICE on your family”, referring to the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.

Rana also renewed allegations against JPMorgan executive director Lorna Hajdini, claiming she coerced him into a sexual relationship and demanded his submission as a condition for career advancement, repeatedly telling him she “owned” him.

Once described as a “leading” deal originator earning “well over” $2 million a year, Rana has now been “effectively blackballed”, according to the complaint.

“His reputation has been destroyed, his professional relationships shattered, and the career he spent years building reduced to rubble,” the complaint stated. “This was not an unintended consequence of defendants’ misconduct. It was its intended result.”

Hajdini has denied Rana’s allegations and filed a counterclaim accusing him of defamation. She said his claims had “wreaked havoc” on her life, subjected her to constant public ridicule and were intended to generate maximum media attention.

Lawyers representing Hajdini did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The lawsuit is among several controversies involving JPMorgan employees that have attracted public attention this year, creating unwanted scrutiny for the bank, which reported $37.6 billion in profit during the first half of 2026.

 

JPMorgan is contesting a $4.25 million arbitration award involving a former wealth manager who was dismissed after expensing a Super Bowl platter. Separately, a former employee was filmed removing and later taking away a commemorative rubbish bin during a parade celebrating the NBA champion New York Knicks.

Three New Defendants Added

Rana filed the lawsuit in Manhattan federal court after a state judge on July 16 dismissed an earlier version filed in April, allowing him and his new legal team to amend the complaint and add further claims.

The revised complaint names JPMorgan managing directors Brandon Graffeo and Jon Wolter as additional defendants.

Rana alleges that Graffeo “led” efforts to humiliate him, while both Graffeo and Wolter attempted to damage his reputation within the private credit and leveraged finance industries after he resigned under pressure last October. He claims those actions led his subsequent employer to terminate him in April.

JPMorgan associate Kelly Crowe was also added as a defendant. Rana alleges she referred to him as “brown boy” and an “HR liability”.

It was unclear why some of the new allegations were not included in Rana’s original complaint.

The 21-count lawsuit seeks unspecified compensatory and punitive damages, lost wages and other remedies from various defendants. The claims include alleged violations of federal civil rights laws, the Family and Medical Leave Act, and New York state and city human rights laws.

The allegations include sexual and racial discrimination, harassment, retaliation, defamation claims against JPMorgan, Graffeo and Wolter, and a sexual assault claim against Hajdini.

“JPMorgan has fed the public a false and misleading narrative,” Rana’s lawyer Jon Norinsberg said in a statement. “We intend to hold the defendants fully accountable in a court of law for the catastrophic harm they caused to Mr Rana’s career, reputation and life.”