Former JPMorgan Chase Vice President Chirayu Rana filed an 82-page federal civil rights lawsuit on July 27 in Manhattan, accusing the bank and several executives of widespread racial discrimination, sexual coercion, and retaliation.
Rana, a deal originator of Nepali descent on the leveraged finance team who earned over $2 million annually, claims his career was intentionally destroyed after he reported misconduct.
Lawsuit Details
The complaint, filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, names JPMorgan Chase, Executive Director Lorna Hajdini, Managing Directors Brandon Graffeo and Jon Wolter, and Associate Kelly Crowe as defendants.
According to the lawsuit, Rana was the only non-white banker on his 11-person team and was subjected to slurs such as "monkey" and "brown boy."
The filing alleges colleagues suggested he transact in rupees, threatened to contact U. S.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and claimed he was hired solely for diversity quotas.
The lawsuit accuses Hajdini of leveraging her position to force unwanted sexual contact and demand submissiveness, alleging she claimed she "owned" him and once drugged him without his knowledge.
It also states Graffeo led his workplace degradation, and that Graffeo and Wolter later campaigned to ruin his reputation across the private credit sector after his resignation, causing his subsequent employer to terminate him in April.
Law firm Joseph & Norinsberg LLC noted that after Rana filed an internal complaint in May 2025, JPMorgan placed him on involuntary leave and revoked his access while accused employees remained working.
The 24-count federal filing expands upon a previous April state court lawsuit that was dismissed on July 16 to allow new claims.
Rana is seeking compensatory and punitive damages alongside lost wages.
Responses
JPMorgan denied all allegations, asserting the claims lack merit and noting that Rana refused to participate in the bank's internal investigation.
"We don't believe there's any merit to these claims," a JPMorgan spokesperson said. "While numerous employees cooperated with the investigation, the complainant refused."
Hajdini also denied the claims, filing a countersuit for defamation and stating through counsel that no romantic or sexual relationship ever existed between them.
Rana's lawyer Jon Norinsberg rejected the bank's position: "JPMorgan has fed the public a false and misleading narrative.
We intend to hold the defendants fully accountable in a court of law for the catastrophic harm they caused to Mr. Rana's career, reputation and life."
Co-counsel Bennitta L. Joseph emphasized the gravity of the allegations: "Racism has no place in any workplace.
Calling an employee 'monkey' and 'Brown Boy' is as offensive as it is outrageous.
The evidence will show a level of racial misconduct that warrants the most substantial punitive damages the law permits."
The lawsuit includes preserved text messages, group chats, audio recordings, and witness statements, with Rana demanding a jury trial.
