The Lurid Lawsuit, Salami Scandal and Trash-can Thief Vexing Jpmorgan's PR Dept.

Dow Jones06-25

They're being called the all-star team of infamous JPMorgan Chase employees.

A woman who dumped out and walked off with a special-edition Knicks trash can in broad daylight. An investment banker whose lawsuit alleged sexual harassment by a former colleague in excruciating detail. A startup founder who expensed "cellulite butter" to the bank during her trial for defrauding the bank.

Their stories all went viral because of details that seemed, at times, surreal. On social media, users quickly pointed out that they had all worked for the country's biggest bank. Some users posted images of the individuals, saying they were drafting a top-flight team of JPMorgan employees.

Here's a guide to the (former) employees who've recently landed in the spotlight.

The trash-can lady

The employee: Angie Baez, who worked in community and industry engagement for card and connected commerce, according to the New York Post.

A video clip went viral after it showed her clad in Knicks gear and nonchalantly dumping the contents of the blue-and-orange trash can onto the sidewalk before walking off with it. Adding to the outrageousness, it was in the middle of the city's festivities over the Knicks win, when fans poured into the streets to celebrate. Baez seemed unbothered by others standing by watching.

Baez had previously worked at The Infatuation, the Post reported, a restaurant-review website that JPMorgan bought in 2021. When asked about Baez, JPMorgan said in a statement "this employee is no longer with the company."

Baez's profile page on The Infatuation is no longer available. Attempts to reach Baez were unsuccessful.

The salami incident

The employee: Brent Ryan Bodner, wealth adviser

Bodner was fired after expensing a Super Bowl platter, complete with deli meats, cookies and Buffalo wings. The platter cost $642.50 -- but ended up costing JPMorgan far, far more.

Bodner said the spread was intended for clients who never showed up, and accused JPMorgan of wrongful termination. An arbitration panel ruled in his favor, and awarded him a whopping $4.25 million in a case that's become known as "the salami incident." The bank has said it plans to file a motion to vacate the award.

The lurid sex-assault allegations

The employee: Chirayu Rana, investment banker

Rana's lawsuit was initially filed anonymously, but his identity quickly became public and his allegations turned into social-media fodder. Rana's suit alleged a female colleague sexually assaulted him for months, and was filled with sensational details including accusations that he was taunted with phrases like his wife "doesn't have these cannons." Lorna Hajdini, the woman Rana accused, has denied the allegations and countersued. JPMorgan has stood by Hajdini and said it doesn't believe Rana's claims have merit.

In court on Tuesday, the lawyer who filed the suit for Rana was allowed to withdraw as counsel, and the sides discussed Rana's new lawyers' move to refile the suit in federal court, seeking to add new allegations and evidence.

The faked customers

The employee: Charlie Javice, startup founder

Javice sold her startup to JPMorgan for $175 million in 2021. And she introduced the world to cellulite butter.

Frank, her company, was designed to help students apply for college financial aid. In 2023, she was arrested on fraud charges after the bank said the startup had only a fraction of the customers she had claimed. She was sentenced to seven years in prison last September. JPMorgan and Javice are still fighting over what the bank says were outrageous legal fees her lawyers charged the bank, including for the cellulite butter (a moisturizer that's supposed to help smooth ripples and bumps on skin).

Javice is appealing the conviction and has been seeking a presidential pardon, The Wall Street Journal reported earlier this month.

Write to Candice Choi at candice.choi@wsj.com

 

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

June 24, 2026 20:00 ET (00:00 GMT)

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