Ahmedabad Times

A high-stakes authorized battle involving JPMorgan and a intercourse scandal has taken a contemporary flip, with new particulars revealing an enormous hole between settlements sought and supplied earlier than a controversial sexual harassment lawsuit turned public.Former JPMorgan banker Chirayu Rana allegedly demanded greater than $20 million from the financial institution earlier than submitting his lawsuit accusing senior govt Lorna Hajdini of sexual abuse, in line with the sources cited by the New York Submit. The demand was made in June final yr, months earlier than the case surfaced publicly.“He threatened to go public and requested for tens of millions of {dollars},” one supply near the state of affairs informed The NYP.In keeping with the Wall Avenue Journal, JPMorgan later supplied Rana $1 million to settle the matter, a determine first reported. The report additionally acknowledged that Rana’s present lawyer, Daniel J Kaiser, proposed a counteroffer of $11.75 million.The lawsuit was filed in New York County Supreme Courtroom final month beneath the pseudonym “John Doe.” It comprises critical allegations towards Hajdini, together with claims that she drugged Rana with viagra and compelled him into repeated sexual encounters, together with racist abuse and humiliating calls for. Hajdini and her legal professionals have denied all accusations. Hajdini’s colleagues have additionally described the lawsuit as written “fan fiction” or a “novel”.JPMorgan has additionally rejected the claims, stating that an inside investigation discovered no proof of wrongdoing. The financial institution stated it reviewed emails, telephone information and witness statements and that Hajdini totally cooperated whereas Rana didn’t.Authorized specialists have weighed in on the dispute. New York lawyer Jason Goldman stated: “Presumably, Rana despatched a shakedown letter to Hajdini, threatening a public submitting until she purchased his silence by paying an exorbitant price for one thing she didn’t do. When she refused to succumb, Rana seemingly doubled down and dragged her identify and repute by way of the mud.”Aside from the sexual misconduct claims, there are extra layers to the case. In keeping with NYP, Rana informed JPMorgan supervisors in December 2024 that his father had died, permitting him to take prolonged bereavement go away. Nonetheless, his father was later discovered to be alive. When contacted, his father stated, “I don’t know something about it. He’s my son. He’s a very good man.”Rana had filed an inside grievance in Might 2025, alleging race and gender-based harassment, earlier than leaving the financial institution. He later joined personal fairness agency Bregal Sagemount however left the job in early April, weeks earlier than submitting the lawsuit.The central declare of the lawsuit has additionally been challenged by inside firm buildings. Rana and Hajdini reported to completely different managers, suggesting she had no authority over his wage or promotions. However Rana’s authorized crew maintains that the allegations are real. His lawyer has stated the claims can be supported by proof because the case progresses.The lawsuit itself features a sequence of detailed accusations. Rana claims the alleged harassment started quickly after he joined the financial institution in 2024, together with inappropriate bodily contact and specific remarks. He additional alleges that Hajdini threatened his profession if he didn’t comply along with her calls for. He has additionally accused the financial institution of retaliation, claiming he was positioned on go away after complaining and that his skilled repute was broken.Rana additionally says he has been identified with post-traumatic stress dysfunction (PTSD) on account of the alleged incidents.Furthermore, two new witness accounts had been reported by the Day by day Mail within the high-profile case. In a single incident, a witness claimed that Lorna Hajdini, who was bare, requested them to “be part of them within the bed room” at a New York condo. In the meantime, a second witness stated he had heard Chirayu Rana say that Lorna had made his life a “residing hell” within the office.