Banker Jonathan Kaye left Moelis after a video showed him punching a woman at a Pride event. Kaye was put on leave after the video went viral on social media. His spokesperson said he reacted after being attacked and having liquid thrown on him.
Jonathan Kaye, a senior banker at Moelis, was seen punching a woman at a Brooklyn Pride event. Moelis confirmed to Business Insider that Kaye has now left the company. Kaye used to lead the global business services at Moelis, but as of Monday, his profile is no longer on their website. Bloomberg reported his resignation earlier that day.
The incident happened on June 8, and the video quickly spread on social media. The video had text saying, “This guy punched me in the face today and broke my nose and busted up my friend’s arm.”
The punch allegedly came after Kaye, who is Jewish, told someone with a Palestinian flag that they were “on the wrong side,” which led to him having liquid poured on him by four people. Kaye fell and hurt his knee during the incident.
Moelis was investigating the incident. In the video, a woman appears to fall after being punched by a man identified as Kaye. The man, with a stain on his blazer, is heard saying, “she fucking threw shit all over me.”
Kaye’s spokesperson said he was scared for his safety when surrounded by people who attacked and threw liquids on him. The spokesperson also mentioned the rise in antisemitic incidents and said any Jewish person would feel threatened and try to defend themselves.
Since the incident, Kaye has received death threats and will cooperate with the authorities.