Two new witnesses have come forward and testified at a high-profile sexual harassment trial involving JPMorgan.According to the Daily Mail, fresh information has emerged from two individuals regarding alleged incidents at a New York apartment.The case centers on claims by former banker Chirayu Rana, who has accused senior executive Lorna Hajdini of forcing her to have sex with him, along with other forms of abuse and coercion. Now, newly filed affidavits from two unnamed witnesses are supporting Rana’s claims, while JPMorgan itself and several affiliates deny the allegations.
First witness: ‘He asked me to come to the bedroom’
A witness described a disturbing encounter that happened late at night in September 2024. They were staying at Rana’s apartment when they were woken up by a woman who was “obviously intoxicated and talking loudly,” according to the filing. The witness claims that Rana later identified the woman as Hajdini.“A short time later, I was woken up by Ms. Hajdini, who was completely naked,” the witness said.He added, “Ms. Hazdini sat on the couch and lit a cigarette. Then she asked me to come with her to the bedroom and ‘join her.’ I told her ‘no’. She said, ‘come join, come join’. I told her ‘no’ again.”The witness then revealed a chilling comment allegedly made by Hajdini. “You know, I’m (Rana’s) boss, so you better get involved,” she told the witness, who again refused.The witness claims Hajdini returned to the bedroom, after which he heard Rana “pleading loudly” for him to “stop and go away”.The witness added: “It became quiet. Then, after some time, (Ms. Hajdini) came out of the bedroom and left the apartment.”
Second witness: ‘The woman at work made my life hell’
A second witness said Rana had told him months earlier that a woman at work was making his life “hell.”The same witness later claimed that he had seen Hajdini interacting inappropriately with Rana, including kissing her neck and grabbing her when she appeared uncomfortable.
what is the lawsuit about
The new claims from the two witnesses come as Rana is seeking compensation for emotional trauma, lost earnings and damage to reputation. His lawyer says he has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result of the alleged abuse.Rana’s claims are very detailed. She claims Hajdini forced her to perform “non-consensual and abusive sexual acts” over several months, sometimes by giving her the drug Viagra. She also claimed that he threatened to ruin her career if she resisted his sexual advances.In one alleged exchange, she told him, “If you don’t cheat on me soon, I will destroy you… Never forget, I own you.”Other comments cited in the lawsuit include sexually explicit comments and racial slurs, including Hazdini calling Rana a “brown boy.”Hazdini has denied all allegations. Through her lawyers, she said that she “never engaged in any inappropriate conduct with this individual and had never even been to the location where the sexual assault allegedly occurred”.JPMorgan has also rejected the claims, saying an internal investigation found no evidence to support them. A spokesperson for the company said that Rana “refused to participate and refused to provide facts that would be central to supporting his allegations”.The lawsuit also accuses the bank of failing to act on Rana’s complaints and retaliating against him by placing him on leave and damaging his professional reputation. JP Morgan also denies these allegations.The case has sparked debate, partly due to the graphic nature of the claims and the lack of documentary evidence such as messages or emails. Some colleagues have defended Hajdini, calling the lawsuit a “complete fabrication”.Furthermore, Hajdini and Rana worked under different managers within the same team, and according to the job structure, Hajdini had no influence over the salary or evaluation Rana received.Rana’s legal team says that the matter is genuine. His lawyer said the abuse was “horrific” and they looked forward to presenting evidence to the court, including witness testimony.
