‘John Doe’ in JPMorgan case revealed: Complainant in abuse case against Lorna Hajdini has South Asian roots

A former JPMorgan Chase employee who filed a sensational sexual harassment lawsuit against a senior executive has been identified as a person of South Asian descent, according to a report by the New York Post, sharpening focus on a case the bank has already rejected as baseless after an internal probe.

The complaint, originally filed under the pseudonym “John Doe”, accuses executive director Lorna Hajdini of sexual abuse, coercion and workplace intimidation during their stint on the firm’s leveraged finance team. JPMorgan Chase, however, said an internal investigation found no evidence to support the allegations.

Allegations versus response

The complainant, now working at a private investment firm, alleged in his lawsuit that Hajdini subjected him to sustained abuse, including claims that she drugged and coerced him into sexual acts while threatening to cut his compensation.

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The complaint further alleged that she appeared unannounced at his residence and forced him into sexual encounters.

Hajdini has categorically denied the accusations. In a statement issued through her lawyers, she said she had “never engaged in any inappropriate conduct” with the complainant and had not been to the location where the alleged incident was said to have occurred.

Internal investigation

Responding to the claims, JPMorgan Chase said its review — carried out by human resources and in-house legal teams — did not substantiate the allegations.

“Following an investigation, we don’t believe there’s any merit to these claims,” a bank spokesperson said, adding that while multiple employees cooperated, the complainant declined to provide information central to the case.

According to the New York Post report, the complainant and Hajdini worked as colleagues and did not share a reporting relationship, raising questions over claims that she could influence his pay or career progression.

How the dispute unfolded

According to the report, the complainant joined the leveraged finance team in 2024 and filed an internal complaint the following year, alleging harassment and abuse of authority. He later sought a multi-million-dollar settlement before leaving the firm, according to reports.

The lawsuit also names JPMorgan Chase as a defendant, accusing it of retaliation and failure to adequately investigate the complaint.

No trial date has been set, and the case remains under legal consideration.

With inputs from agencies.