Former JPMorgan Banker Expands Lawsuit with New Harassment, Racism Claims

A former JPMorgan Chase banker has expanded a high-profile lawsuit against the firm, adding new defendants and detailing fresh allegations of racism and sexual coercion. The amended complaint, filed Monday in Manhattan federal court, claims the bank’s culture of harassment irreparably damaged his career in the finance industry.

Expanded Allegations

Chirayu Rana, a former deal originator in JPMorgan's leveraged finance division, added three new defendants to his lawsuit: managing directors Brandon Graffeo and Jon Wolter, and associate Kelly Crowe. The 82-page complaint alleges that Rana, who is of Nepali descent, was subjected to a constant stream of racist jokes and slurs from his all-white team, including being called a "monkey" and "brown boy."

According to the court filing, the harassment included a text message suggesting a colleague should "run before we call ICEE {sic} on your family." The suit renews claims that executive director Lorna Hajdini coerced Rana into a sexual relationship as a condition for career advancement, allegedly telling him she "owned" him. Rana also alleges that after he resigned under pressure in October, Graffeo and Wolter actively worked to sabotage his reputation, leading to his dismissal from a subsequent employer and making him "effectively blackballed" from the industry.

JPMorgan and Defendants Respond

JPMorgan has firmly denied the allegations. "We don’t believe there’s any merit to these claims," a bank spokesperson said on behalf of the defendants. The spokesperson added that Rana refused to cooperate with an internal investigation into the matter, while numerous other employees did.

Ad

Lorna Hajdini, one of the original defendants, has also denied Rana's claims and has filed a defamation countersuit. Her lawyers stated that Rana's allegations have "wreaked havoc" on her life and were designed to attract media attention.

Legal and Reputational Context

The lawsuit is one of several recent employee-related matters that have drawn public scrutiny to JPMorgan. Such incidents, while not directly impacting the bank's financial results, can pose significant reputational risk and raise questions for investors about corporate culture and internal controls.

Rana’s 21-count complaint seeks unspecified compensatory and punitive damages for alleged violations of federal, state, and city civil rights and human rights laws. The claims include sexual and racial discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and a sexual assault claim against Hajdini. "We intend to hold the defendants fully accountable in a court of law for the catastrophic harm they caused," Rana’s lawyer, Jon Norinsberg, said in a statement.