Lorna Hajdini has firmly denied allegations made against her in a high-profile lawsuit filed this week by a former JPMorgan colleague, stating that she never engaged in any inappropriate conduct and has never even visited the location where the alleged incident was said to have taken place.
Her lawyers issued a strong rebuttal to The New York Post, responding to claims brought forward in the case, which was filed on Monday under the pseudonym John Doe at the New York County Supreme Court.
The lawsuit accuses Hajdini, a 37-year-old executive director on JPMorgan’s leveraged finance team, of subjecting the plaintiff to abuse, including allegations that she drugged him with substances such as Rohypnol and Viagra and threatened his bonus if he failed to comply with her demands. The Daily Mail first reported on the case, citing details from a court filing that has since been withdrawn for corrections.
JPMorgan has strongly denied all the claims, with a bank spokesperson stating that a thorough internal investigation by its HR team and in-house lawyers found no evidence to support the allegations. The review included team phone records and emails. While several employees cooperated with the probe, the complainant declined to participate and refused to provide key details that could substantiate the case, the spokesperson added.
According to sources cited by The New York Post, the complainant had filed an internal grievance in May 2025, alleging race and gender-based harassment as well as abuse of power, before attempting to negotiate a multi-million-pound settlement to exit the firm. The lawsuit also names JPMorgan Chase as a defendant, accusing the bank of retaliation and failure to properly investigate the matter.
Importantly, the report noted that the complainant did not report to Hajdini. Both worked on the same leveraged finance team but under different reporting lines. Sources said Hajdini reported to managing director Brandon Graffeo, while the complainant was supervised by another managing director, Jon Wolter. This structure meant Hajdini had no authority over the complainant’s annual bonus, challenging a key claim in the lawsuit.
A colleague described the complainant as “socially awkward” but competent in meeting job expectations. Meanwhile, associates of Hajdini, who continues to work at the bank, described her as a “top performer”. One person familiar with the situation alleged that the claims had unfairly damaged her reputation.
Hajdini, a graduate of NYU Stern School of Business, is also said to volunteer with Minds Matter, a non-profit organisation that supports underprivileged students in pursuing higher education.
The complainant, who did not respond to multiple requests for comment, has previously worked at firms including Houlihan Lokey, Credit Suisse, TCG Capital Markets, Morgan Stanley and The Carlyle Group before joining JPMorgan. He is currently associated with Bregal Sagemount, a New York-based investment firm focused on sectors such as software, digital infrastructure, healthcare IT and financial services.
No trial date has been set so far. The case remains reportable as US court filings are subject to absolute privilege, which protects media organisations from defamation liability when allegations are covered accurately and in good faith.
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