NEW YORK (Diya TV) — A top executive at JPMorgan Chase has filed a defamation lawsuit against former banker Chirayu Rana, accusing him of fabricating shocking sexual abuse claims that sparked a major scandal on Wall Street.
Lorna Hajdini, an executive director in the bank’s leveraged finance division, filed the lawsuit Tuesday in New York state Supreme Court. The complaint claims Rana launched a “months-long campaign” of false allegations that damaged her career, reputation, and personal life.
The legal battle follows Rana’s earlier lawsuit against Hajdini and JPMorgan, in which he accused the executive of drugging him, forcing him into nonconsensual sexual acts, and using racist language. Rana filed that complaint under the pseudonym “John Doe.”
Hajdini strongly denied every accusation.
“Ms. Hajdini categorically and unequivocally denies each and every allegation of unlawful conduct,” the lawsuit states. Her attorneys argued that Rana created the allegations in an effort to pressure Hajdini and the bank into paying millions of dollars. The filing describes the accusations as “false, malicious, and fabricated.”
The case has become one of the most closely watched legal disputes on Wall Street this year. The scandal gained widespread attention after details of Rana’s complaint spread across social media and financial industry circles. A spokesperson for JPMorgan said the bank supports Hajdini and believes the allegations against both the executive and the company lack merit.
“We fully support Lorna and her right to defend herself and protect her reputation,” the spokesperson said.
According to the new filing, Rana previously made similar sexual harassment allegations against a supervisor at another employer. The lawsuit claims the accusations closely resembled the claims he later made against Hajdini. However, those allegations have not been independently verified.
Rana’s original lawsuit included graphic claims about repeated sexual encounters and alleged racial insults. He claimed Hajdini threatened his compensation and career advancement if he refused her demands. But internal human resources documents reviewed by The Post reportedly showed Hajdini had no control over Rana’s pay or promotions because the two employees reported to different managing directors.
The countersuit also disputes several details in Rana’s allegations. Hajdini’s lawyers said she never visited some of the locations where Rana claimed assaults took place. They also denied that any inappropriate relationship ever occurred between the two coworkers. The controversy deepened after reports emerged that Rana falsely told supervisors his father had died to receive extended leave from work between late 2024 and May 2025. Reporters later located Rana’s father, Chaitanya Rana, alive at his home in Fairfax, Virginia.
Additional reports raised questions about Rana’s workplace history. Chatbot transcripts from 2024 reportedly referenced a previous workplace complaint at Morgan Stanley and described an alleged abuser as male. Rana’s career in finance included positions at several major firms, including Credit Suisse, Houlihan Lokey, The Carlyle Group, and Apollo Global Management affiliate MidCap Financial.
He joined JPMorgan in the spring of 2024 before later leaving the company. Rana then worked briefly at Bregal Sagemount, an investment firm led by Gene Yoon. Sources told The Post he left the firm in April, weeks before filing his lawsuit against Hajdini. The dispute has triggered intense discussion across the finance industry, where both lawsuits have drawn scrutiny over workplace conduct, internal investigations, and reputational damage.
JPMorgan conducted an internal investigation into Rana’s claims and found no evidence supporting the allegations, according to reports. The bank said many employees cooperated with investigators, but Rana allegedly refused to participate or provide supporting evidence.
