A viral sexual harassment lawsuit against JPMorgan Chase executive Lorna Hajdini is now facing a sharp credibility challenge after the anonymous plaintiff was identified in reports as former JPMorgan staffer Chirayu Rana and the bank said an internal investigation found no evidence supporting his claims.
Rana, 35, filed the New York County Supreme Court suit under the pseudonym “John Doe,” accusing Hajdini, 37, of drugging him with Rohypnol and Viagra, coercing him into sex, and threatening his bonus if he refused. The lawsuit also named JPMorgan Chase as a defendant, accusing the bank of retaliation and failure to properly investigate.
The allegations first spread after the Daily Mail reported details from a court document that has since been withdrawn for “corrections.” The New York Post later reported, citing multiple sources, that Rana was the anonymous plaintiff and that the case had been branded a “complete fabrication” following JPMorgan’s internal review.
One of the most consequential parts of the original complaint was the alleged power imbalance. Rana claimed Hajdini could influence his career and compensation, including his annual bonus. But the Post reported that Rana did not report to Hajdini and that both worked as colleagues on JPMorgan’s leveraged finance team.
People familiar with the matter told the Post that Hajdini reported to managing director Brandon Graffeo, while Rana was supervised by a different managing director, Jon Wolter.
JPMorgan said its HR department and in-house lawyers reviewed team phone records and emails and interviewed employees as part of the inquiry. The bank said the complainant refused to participate and declined to provide facts it considered central to supporting the allegations.
“Following an investigation, we don’t believe there’s any merit to these claims,” a JPMorgan spokesperson told the Post. The bank added that numerous employees cooperated with the review, while the complainant did not.
Hajdini denied the allegations through her lawyers.
“Lorna categorically denies the allegations. She never engaged in any inappropriate conduct with this individual of any kind and has never even been to the location where the alleged sexual assault supposedly took place,” her statement said.
Rana allegedly filed an internal complaint in May 2025 alleging race- and gender-based harassment and abuse of power. Before the lawsuit, he also tried to negotiate a departure payout in the “millions,” according to sources cited by the Post.
Rana is now a principal at Bregal Sagemount, a New York-based private equity firm. The website describes Rana as responsible for originating and underwriting investments across software, healthcare, financial technology, business services, and consumer services.
The Post also reported that property records link Rana to an apartment in Manhattan’s Kips Bay neighborhood and a $1.7 million family home in Fairfax County, Virginia. His finance career reportedly included Houlihan Lokey, Credit Suisse, TCG Capital Markets, Morgan Stanley, Carlyle Group, JPMorgan, and now Bregal Sagemount.
Information for this briefing was found via The New York Post and the sources and the companies mentioned. The author has no securities or affiliations related to this organization. Not a recommendation to buy or sell. Always do additional research and consult a professional before purchasing a security. The author holds no licenses.
