Moelis & Co has initiated an internal investigation following an incident involving one of the firm's senior bankers. The banker is alleged to have been captured on camera punching a woman in Brooklyn on Saturday night.
The millionaire investment banker was identified as Jonathan Kaye, a managing director who leads the business services franchise Moelis & Co, after the video went viral on social media.
Video Shows Man Defending His Action
A video from Saturday night shows the assailant delivering an overhand right punch to a woman's face. The altercation occurred in front of a crowd of partygoers celebrating Brooklyn Pride in Park Slope. Following the attack the woman is seen falling on the street.
The woman covered her injured face and crumpled to the ground, as the assaulter is seen walking away carrying a white bag in his hand.
The viral video not only captures the shocking assault but also the reactions of the onlookers, who can be heard shouting at the assailant, calling him an "a**hole" and telling him to "go f**k himself." In the midst of the chaos, the assailant is heard defending his actions, saying, "She f–king threw s–t all over me."
Probe Ordered After Video Goes Viral
The video, which has circulated widely on social media, has sparked outrage and prompted calls for justice. Hours after the social media users identified the assaulter as Jonathan Kaye, an investment banker with Moelis & Co, the company issued a statement.
"We have become aware that one of our employees was involved in a serious incident in Brooklyn on June 8. We take this matter very seriously and are conducting an investigation," read a post on X by the company.
Daily Mail reported that amid the ongoing investigation, a profile detailing the accomplishments of the senior banker under scrutiny has surfaced on The Jewish Grad Organization website. The profile highlights Kaye's decade-long tenure at Moelis & Co, during which he played a pivotal role in helping the firm become a market leader, executing over 125 transactions valued collectively at over $100 billion.
Prior to his time at Moelis, Kaye served as the Marketing Director at CitiGroup, the third-largest banking institution in the United States, the outlet reported.
Currently, Kaye oversees ten verticals within Moelis's Business Services faction, managing a dedicated team of bankers and maintaining an extensive network of relationships with strategic companies and private equity investors. He also serves on the firm's Management Committee, underscoring his significant status in the financial sector, read the report.
