Ex-JPMorgan banker files 21-count federal suit alleging racism, assault

A former JPMorgan Chase banker has escalated his legal battle into federal court, adding civil-rights charges to allegations of sexual assault and racial harassment.

Chirayu Rana, a former JPMorgan Chase banker, filed a federal lawsuit Monday alleging he was called racial slurs and sexually assaulted on the bank's leveraged finance team, adding civil-rights claims to a case that has drawn Wall Street's attention.

"Calling an employee 'monkey' and 'brown boy' is as offensive as it is outrageous," Michael Norinsberg, Rana's attorney at Joseph & Norinsberg, said in a statement.

The 82-page complaint, filed in the Southern District of New York, names three additional former colleagues as defendants and includes 21 counts spanning racial discrimination, sexual assault and defamation. JPMorgan previously offered Rana about $1 million to settle the claims, an offer he rejected while seeking roughly $11.75 million, according to people familiar with the matter.

The case tests how a major Wall Street employer defends itself against allegations of racism and coercion from an unusual direction, with JPMorgan maintaining the claims are meritless and refusing to settle. The bank generated $37.6 billion in profit during the first half of 2026.

Racial Slurs and a 'Brown Boy' Taunt

Rana, who is Nepalese, alleges that racism was ingrained in the culture of the otherwise all-white leveraged finance team. Colleagues called him a "monkey" and a "brown boy," according to the complaint, and suggested he should transact in rupees. One colleague texted that he should "run" before they called immigration enforcement on his family.

The lawsuit names JPMorgan associate Kelly Crowe as a new defendant, alleging she called Rana "brown boy" and an "HR liability." Managing Directors Brandon Graffeo and Jon Wolter are also named. Rana joined the bank in 2024 and left the following year, according to the filing.

A $1 Million Offer Rejected

Rana's original state lawsuit, filed in April under a pseudonym, accused former supervisor Lorna Hajdini of sexual assault, racial harassment and career coercion. He alleged Hajdini told him she "owned" him and tied his advancement to compliance with her sexual demands, including groping him at work events and drugging him on one occasion.

JPMorgan conducted an internal investigation and said it found no merit to the claims. The bank noted that Rana refused to participate in the inquiry. Hajdini has countersued Rana for defamation, arguing his allegations "wreaked havoc" on her life.

Rana formally reported the alleged discrimination in May 2025, according to the complaint. Within weeks, JPMorgan removed him from the workplace, revoked his systems access and placed him on indefinite involuntary leave, while the employees he accused continued working without interruption.

JPMorgan has said it has no intention of settling the suit. The bank's stock rose 0.85 percent on Monday.

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