A high-stakes legal battle involving JPMorgan Chase & Co. and a sex scandal has taken a new turn, with new details showing a wide gap between settlements sought and offered before a controversial sexual harassment lawsuit became public.Former JPMorgan Chase banker Chirayu Rana allegedly sought more than $20 million from the bank before filing a lawsuit accusing senior executive Lorna Hajdini of sexual abuse, the New York Post reported, citing sources. The request was made last June, months before the case became public.“He threatened to go public and demand millions of dollars,” a person familiar with the matter told The New York Times.JPMorgan later offered Rana $1 million to settle the matter, according to the Wall Street Journal, which was the first reported figure. The report also said that Rana’s current lawyer Daniel J. Kaiser proposed a counteroffer of US$11.75 million.The lawsuit was filed last month in New York County Supreme Court under the pseudonym “John Doe.” It contained serious allegations against Al-Hajdini, including claims she gave Rana the drug Viagra and forced him to have sex on multiple occasions, including racist abuse and humiliating demands. Hajdini and her lawyers deny all accusations. Hajdini’s colleagues also described the lawsuit as written “fan fiction” or “fiction.”JPMorgan Chase also rejected the claims, saying an internal investigation found no evidence of wrongdoing. The bank said it reviewed emails, phone records and witness statements and that Hajdini cooperated fully while Rana did not.Legal experts have weighed in on the dispute. New York attorney Jason Goldman said: “Rana supposedly sent a blackmail letter to Al-Hajdini, threatening to open a public case unless she paid exorbitant fees for something she did not do in exchange for his silence. When she refused to give in, Lana seemed to double down on her efforts to drag her name and reputation through the mud. “There are more layers to the case than just allegations of sexual misconduct. According to the New York Times, Rana told JPMorgan Chase executives in December 2024 that his father had died, allowing him to take extended bereavement leave. However, it was later discovered that his father was still alive. When contacted, his father said: “I don’t know anything about it. He is my son. He is a good man. “Rana filed an internal complaint in May 2025, before leaving the bank, alleging racial and gender harassment. He later joined private equity firm Bregal Sagemount but left in early April, weeks before the lawsuit was filed.The lawsuit’s core claims are also being challenged by the company’s internal structure. Rana and Hajdini reported to different managers, suggesting she had no authority over his salary or promotions. But Rana’s legal team insists the allegations are true. His attorneys say those claims will be supported by evidence as the case progresses.The lawsuit itself includes a series of detailed accusations. Rana claims the alleged harassment began shortly after he joined the bank in 2024 and included inappropriate physical contact and explicit remarks. He further claimed that his career would be in jeopardy if Hajdini did not comply with her demands. He also accused the bank of retaliation, claiming he was suspended after complaining and that his professional reputation was damaged.Rana also said he was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result of the alleged incidents.Additionally, the Daily Mail reports on two new witness statements in the high-profile case. In one incident, a witness claimed that a naked Lorna Hajdini asked them to “come into the bedroom of a New York apartment.” Meanwhile, another witness said he heard Chirayu Rana say Lorna had made his workplace life a “living hell”.
