Investment banker caught on camera punching woman in the face in Brooklyn

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A millionaire investment banker has allegedly been caught on camera punching a woman in the face in New York, causing her to fall to the ground on Saturday evening.

In the video, the banker, identified by news outlets as 52-year-old Jonathan Kaye, can be seen delivering an overhand right punch to an unnamed woman in Brooklyn in front of a crowd of partygoers.

Kaye works as a managing director at Moelis & Company, a leading investment bank with offices in Midtown Manhattan, according to the company’s website.

“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,” a spokesperson for the New York-based investment bank said in a statement posted to X.

The statement did not confirm that the employee was Kaye. However, the Daily Mail reported that a spokesperson for the bank had confirmed Kaye is the man seen in the viral video. The Independent has reached out to the company for confirmation.

In the clip, the woman is thrown to the floor by the force of the punch, as one onlooker unsuccessfully rushes to her aid.

Other people standing nearby can also be heard calling Kaye an “a**hole” and telling him to “go f**k himself” before he walks away wearing a jacket streaked with liquid down the back.

“This guy punched me in the face today and broke my nose. [He also] busted up my friends[sic] arm… can anyone find him?” a caption overlaying the video read.

It is not clear what happened in the moments leading up to the attack. However, Kaye is heard in the video saying: “She f**king threw s**t all over me.”

The incident has not been reported to the NYPD. However, a spokesperson for the force told The Independent the NYPD is aware of the video.

“We encourage anyone who has been a victim to file a police report,” the spokesperson added.

Kaye has overseen the Global Business Services franchise at Moelis & Co. since 2013, according to the company. He previously worked at Citi Bank as the managing director of its Global Mergers & Acquisitions Group.

He holds a B.A. from Tufts University, and graduated cum laude from the Duke University School of Law.

The married father-of-three reportedly lives in a $4 million four-bedroom townhouse in Park Slope.

In a podcast interview in May 2023, he preached the importance of “empathy” and “understanding,” the Daily Mail reported.

He made the remarks as he told the LSE Focal Point Podcast that he often mentors junior bankers and identified the skills he believes are critical to having a successful career, explaining that a successful person demonstrates “empathy,” is “understanding” of others, and exercises good decision making skills, including “managing your reputation.”

The punch occurred as thousands flooded to Park Slope Saturday in celebration of the 28th annual Brooklyn Pride Multicultural Festival, a day-long event that started with a 5K marathon and ended with a parade along Fifth Avenue.

The Independent has contacted Kaye for comment.