JPMorgan ED sued for racial harassment of ‘brown boy’

Lorna Hajdini, a senior executive at JPMorgan Chase, is facing a lawsuit in New York for the alleged sexual abuse, racial harassment, and intimidation of a former colleague. 

The complainant, an Asian man identified as John Doe, filed the suit in the New York County Supreme Court, alleging Hajdini, 37, exploited her role as his supervisor to coerce him into sexual encounters.

The misconduct allegedly began in spring 2024. Doe, a married banker in the leveraged finance division, claims Hajdini used her authority to pressure him, stating his career progression depended on pleasing her. The complaint details several incidents, including one in May 2024 where Hajdini allegedly touched him inappropriately and made suggestive remarks regarding his background as a college athlete. 

The harassment reportedly escalated into racist verbal abuse and physical assault. Doe alleges Hajdini referred to him using racial slurs and derogatory terms like “little brown boy”. During one encounter, Doe claims Hajdini forcibly removed his clothes and performed oral sex on him while he protested. 

The lawsuit alleges Hajdini admitted to drugging Doe with Rohypnol to facilitate sexual acts and used her executive position to gain unauthorised access to his bank account to track his movements.

Doe claims he was repeatedly threatened with professional ruin if he did not comply with her demands. In one instance, Hajdini allegedly told him, “I fking own you”, after he declined an invitation for drinks. The filing also mentions a racist comment where Hajdini allegedly mocked the taste of his private parts. Two witnesses have reportedly corroborated parts of Doe's account, including hearing his protests during an alleged encounter. The lawsuit seeks damages for the physical and emotional distress caused by the prolonged abuse. Hajdini is named as the sole defendant in the filing.