Ex-JPMorgan Banker's Lawyer Withdraws Hours Before Sex Abuse Case Hearing

The lawyer representing disgraced former JPMorgan banker Chirayu Rana in a sex-slave lawsuit has abruptly withdrawn from the case just hours before a scheduled court hearing in New York.

His attorney, Daniel Kaiser, known for representing several Jeffrey Epstein accusers, filed papers on Tuesday asking to withdraw from the case. Court documents revealed that Rana does not currently have another lawyer to represent him. Until he hires new legal counsel, he will represent himself in court.

Kaiser was expected to argue that Rana's identity should remain hidden in court records under the anonymous name "John Doe."

Rana had accused JPMorgan executive Lorna Hajdini of sexually abusing, drugging and repeatedly harassing him while they worked together at JPMorgan Chase. Hajdini has denied all allegations and has filed a defamation case against Rana.

JPMorgan is continuing to strongly deny the allegations and says the entire lawsuit is "fabricated" and "malicious".

The company said it carried out an internal investigation into the matter before the lawsuit became public. The investigation reportedly included checking emails, phone records, and speaking to witnesses connected to the case.

The bank said investigators found no evidence supporting Rana's allegations. JPMorgan also claimed that Hajdini fully cooperated with the investigation, while Rana himself allegedly did not cooperate with the process.

Since the lawsuit was first filed, Kaiser had strongly defended Rana and his allegations. He had also criticised media coverage of the case and once claimed that The New York Post would eventually be “embarrassed” by its reporting once all evidence became public.

Rana had earlier tried to demand more than $20 million from the bank and allegedly threatened to make the accusations public if the bank refused to pay. Later, reports stated that JPMorgan itself offered Rana $1 million last month to settle the issue privately, according to The Wall Street Journal.

"Presumably, Rana sent a shakedown letter to Hajdini, threatening a public filing unless she bought his silence by paying an exorbitant fee for something she didn't do," New York lawyer Jason Goldman told the Post. "When she refused to succumb, Rana seemingly doubled down and dragged her name and reputation through the mud."