JPMorgan Chase reportedly offered a former investment banker $1 million to settle sexual assault and discrimination claims weeks before a lawsuit involving the allegations drew widespread attention online.
The dispute centers on former banker Chirayu Rana, who accused senior executive Lorna Hajdini of sexual assault, coercion, and racial harassment in a lawsuit filed in New York state court. The complaint, initially filed anonymously and later refiled, quickly circulated across social media platforms after details became public.
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According to The Wall Street Journal, settlement discussions between Rana’s lawyers and JPMorgan began earlier this year, with the bank offering $1 million in March to resolve the matter before litigation escalated publicly. Rana later countered with a demand of $11.75 million, according to people familiar with the negotiations
“JPMorgan tried to settle sexual assault claims before lawsuit,” a company spokesperson acknowledged, according to Reuters. The reported settlement efforts have intensified scrutiny around the case, particularly as JPMorgan simultaneously maintains that its internal investigation found no evidence supporting Rana’s allegations. The bank has said Rana declined to participate fully in the review process, while attorneys representing Hajdini have described the accusations as fabricated and denied any sexual or romantic relationship between the two.
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The lawsuit alleges that Rana, an Asian American senior vice president in JPMorgan’s leveraged finance division, faced repeated abuse and workplace retaliation beginning in 2024. The complaint also includes allegations of racial discrimination involving colleagues at the bank.
The case gained unusual traction online after AI-generated videos and dramatized recreations based on the allegations spread across X and Instagram, turning what would normally be a corporate legal dispute into a viral social media story. (Legal analysts say the situation highlights the growing reputational risks companies face when internal workplace disputes rapidly migrate onto social media platforms before courts evaluate the claims.
Rana, who formerly worked at investment firm Bregal Sagemount after leaving JPMorgan, was reportedly terminated from that role earlier this year. The firm said it had no prior knowledge of his complaints against JPMorgan during his employment. The lawsuit remains ongoing, with both sides expected to continue legal proceedings in the New York court.