JPMorgan banker countersues in viral sexual harassment case

The JPMorgan Chase banker at the center of a viral sexual harassment case countersued on Tuesday, claiming defamation. In her countersuit, Lorna Hajdini claims her former colleague Chirayu Rana made false allegations against her that have made her life a “living nightmare.”

ICYMI: Last month, Rana filed a lawsuit claiming that Hajdini sexually harassed and assaulted him. His suit included graphic allegations that she forced him to be a “sex slave” and used racist language—details that caught the internet’s attention:

• AI-generated videos of the two together and memes featuring the allegations have flooded social media.
• Media personalities, like Joe Rogan and Megyn Kelly, have weighed in on the case.

Hajdini has denied the allegations, and her lawyers say there was no sexual relationship. Her countersuit accuses Rana of attacking previous employers with similar allegations. Meanwhile, Rana’s lawyer has said the pushback for his client boils down to his being a man accusing a woman of harassment and that his claims will be proven true in court.

What do we know for sure? Last May, Rana filed an internal complaint with the bank over his allegations, seeking $22 million, according to the Wall Street Journal. After an internal investigation that the bank said found no merit to the claims, JPMorgan offered Rana a $1 million settlement, per the WSJ. Rana filed suit instead, and a preliminary hearing is set for next week.—MM