JPMorgan Executive Lorna Hajdini Sued for Sexual Assault, Racial Harassment, and Career Coercion
A lawsuit filed this week in New York is shaking one of Wall Street's most powerful institutions. A senior JPMorgan Chase executive director has been sued by a former colleague alleging a monthslong campaign of sexual assault, racial harassment, and workplace intimidation. The bank denies every claim. The plaintiff says he received threats after speaking up.
Who Is Involved
The complaint, filed in New York County Supreme Court, names Lorna Hajdini, an executive director in the bank's Leveraged Finance division, as the primary defendant. The plaintiff, identified anonymously as John Doe, is described in the filing as an Asian married banker who joined the firm in March 2024.
Doe says he chose to remain anonymous to protect himself and his family after receiving threats. Hajdini has not publicly responded to the lawsuit.
The Allegations
According to a civil complaint cited in multiple reports, the alleged misconduct began in spring 2024 after Hajdini assumed a senior role overseeing Doe. He claims she used her authority over his career progression to pressure him into repeated sexual encounters and subjected him to persistent verbal and racial harassment.
The alleged coercion was explicit. The complaint quotes Hajdini as allegedly telling Doe: "If you don't comply, I'm going to ruin you… never forget, I own you."
Among the earliest incidents cited, Doe alleged Hajdini made an unsolicited sexual advance at his desk in May 2024. The allegations soon escalated — he claims she propositioned him for oral sex inside the office on two occasions, invoking derogatory racial language.
Retaliation Claims
The timeline after Doe raised internal concerns is central to the lawsuit. In late 2024, Doe began seeking employment elsewhere but alleged that Hajdini and other senior managers provided damaging references that undermined his search. He submitted a formal written complaint to JPMorgan in May 2025, detailing race- and gender-based harassment and severe sexual abuse. He claims the bank retaliated within days, placing him on involuntary leave and revoking his access to company systems.
The pressure did not stop there. The complaint further alleges Doe received threatening anonymous calls after filing his grievance — including one voicemail purportedly from someone claiming to be a JPMorgan manager, and another threatening to contact immigration authorities about him and his family.
JPMorgan's Response
The bank pushed back firmly. A JPMorgan Chase spokesperson said: "Following an investigation, we do not believe there is any merit to these claims. While numerous employees cooperated with the investigation, the complainant refused to participate and has declined to provide facts that would be central to support his allegations."
As of Thursday, Hajdini remains employed at the bank. JPMorgan Chase is named alongside Hajdini as a defendant, with the plaintiff accusing the firm of enabling the abuse.
Broader Scrutiny of JPMorgan's Culture
The lawsuit has reopened questions about the bank's internal environment that go beyond this single case. After Hajdini's allegations surfaced, attention also turned to earlier concerns surrounding former JPMorgan executive Vis Raghavan, whose conduct was allegedly questioned by colleagues. People familiar with his behavior claimed he could be seen to explode in his office and allegedly referred to employees as "a waste of calories" and "ignorant."
In a separate incident, JPMorgan's human resources team was reportedly alerted after Raghavan made inappropriate remarks in front of junior employees at the bank's Canary Wharf office. Raghavan denied making the comments when questioned by HR and later moved to Citigroup in 2024, securing a senior investment banking role within days of leaving JPMorgan.
The lawsuit seeks damages for emotional distress, lost earnings, reputational harm, and punitive compensation. No trial date has been set.
