New York Law Firm Is Accusing An Alleged Rape Victim Of Extortion

Wall Street plaintiffs' firm Faruqi & Faruqi has filed a defamation lawsuit against a former Faruqi lawyer who says a partner harassed her and forced her to have sex.

Faruqi's $15 million countersuit says Alexandra Marchuk made up lurid lies about the firm and a prominent partner to ruin its reputation and get some cash.

Indeed, Marchuk's allegations in the sexual harassment suit she filed against Faruqi are horrifying. She says Juan Monteverde harassed her relentlessly and, on the night of an office holiday party, pushed her to the floor and "quickly, forcefully, and painfully had sex with her."

The countersuit portrays Marchuk, a 2011 Vanderbilt Law grad, as "obsessive" and adoring, and it says she repeatedly hit on Monteverde. It was Marchuk who asked Monteverde to go back to his office on the night he allegedly forced himself on her, the suit says.

Faruqi & Faruqi's suit goes on to allege that Marchuk had "not worn a bra and panties" the night Monteverde allegedly forced her to have sex. Monteverde, who was drunk, couldn't get an erection, so Marchuk performed oral sex on him, according to the lawsuit.

"Monteverde did not resist," the suit says.

Harry Lipman, a lawyer for Marchuk, told BI that Faruqi & Faruqi's countersuit is "frivolous" and contains allegations that are a "tellingly desperate attempt to blame the victim."

Faruqi & Faruqi acknowledges in a press release posted by Above the Law that Monteverde "exercised very poor judgment," but says it's convinced he didn't sexually harass Marchuk.

Monteverde is apparently a pretty big money maker for Faruqi & Faruqi. He has led the firm's lucrative pursuit of "say on pay" litigation against huge corporations authorized under Obama's financial regulatory reforms enacted in 2010.