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Cornell Rape Allegations Spark Criminal Reinvestigation
Confirmed
In Short: Governor Kathy Hochul has also called for an independent review of Cornell University’s handling of the rape allegations. The university's Chi Phi chapter was barred from campus after the alleged incident, though none of the individuals involved faced criminal charges.
A civil lawsuit filed in New York County Supreme Court on September 16 has reignited the controversy surrounding an alleged gang rape at Cornell University in 2024. The plaintiff, Jane Doe, accused seven members of the Cornell University XI chapter of Chi Phi Fraternity of drugging her with ketamine and gang-raping her for hours in their fraternity house.
The lawsuit maintains that Doe was forced to take more ketamine and that six of her frat brothers joined in the gang rape until 5:45 a.m. on October 20, 2024. The defendants, dubbed the 'Cornell Seven,' vehemently deny the allegations.
In response to the lawsuit and public outcry, the Tompkins County District Attorney decided to reopen the investigation to determine whether the allegations should also be pursued in criminal court. The DA had initially declined to file charges based on Doe's original statement to Cornell University Police in November 2024.
Doe's attorney claims that investigators never followed up on her allegations beyond her initial contact with Cornell Police. The DA acknowledged relying on the investigation conducted by Cornell Police and stated that his office did not independently investigate the allegations.
The case has drawn significant attention, with Ithaca’s mayor calling for a pause on Greek life events at Cornell University. Mayor Robert Cantelmo said he learned about the “heinous and sickening” allegations against the students last week.
The case highlights broader issues regarding consent laws and the handling of sexual assault allegations on college campuses. Doe contends that Cornell failed to alert her and other new arrivals to a so-called “culture of rape” that was endemic on campus.
Student Alexandra Miller, from the Cornell School of Arts and Sciences, said she had heard rumors about an alleged gang-rape on campus during her freshman year.
The new revelations and public pressure have intensified scrutiny of how authorities and the university handled the initial allegations, leading to calls for a more thorough investigation and review of policies surrounding sexual assault on campus.
Background
A woman who accused Jay-Z of raping her when she was 13 has formally recanted her allegations, saying they were false.
A woman who accused Jay-Z of raping her when she was 13 has formally recanted her allegations, saying they were false.
What's confirmed
- A civil lawsuit filed in New York County Supreme Court on September 16 has reignited the controversy surrounding an alleged gang rape at Cornell University in 2024. The plaintiff, Jane Doe, accused seven members of the Cornell University XI chapter of Chi Phi Fraternity of drugging her with ketamine and gang-raping her for hours in their fraternity house.
- The lawsuit maintains that Doe was forced to take more ketamine and that six of her frat brothers joined in the gang rape until 5:45 a.m. on October 20, 2024. The defendants, dubbed the 'Cornell Seven,' vehemently deny the allegations.
- In response to the lawsuit and public outcry, the Tompkins County District Attorney decided to reopen the investigation to determine whether the allegations should also be pursued in criminal court. The DA had initially declined to file charges based on Doe's original statement to Cornell University Police in November 2024.
- Doe's attorney claims that investigators never followed up on her allegations beyond her initial contact with Cornell Police. The DA acknowledged relying on the investigation conducted by Cornell Police and stated that his office did not independently investigate the allegations.
- The case has drawn significant attention, with Ithaca’s mayor calling for a pause on Greek life events at Cornell University. Mayor Robert Cantelmo said he learned about the “heinous and sickening” allegations against the students last week.
- The case highlights broader issues regarding consent laws and the handling of sexual assault allegations on college campuses. Doe contends that Cornell failed to alert her and other new arrivals to a so-called “culture of rape” that was endemic on campus.
- Student Alexandra Miller, from the Cornell School of Arts and Sciences, said she had heard rumors about an alleged gang-rape on campus during her freshman year.
- The new revelations and public pressure have intensified scrutiny of how authorities and the university handled the initial allegations, leading to calls for a more thorough investigation and review of policies surrounding sexual assault on campus.
What's still developing
- Enter information in one or both fields. (Required) Reviewed by Joseph Fawbush, Esq. | Last updated on September 30, 2026 Content warning: This article contains allegations of sexual assault, including drugging and multiple alleged perpetrators.
- On Monday, after global condemnation of how these allegations had been handled driven in part by student newspaper The Cornell Daily Sun and actor Florence Pugh’s social media campaign, New York prosecutors announced they would reopen a criminal inquiry into the alleged incident.
- Cornell's Chi Phi chapter was barred from campus after the alleged Oct. 19, 2024, incident, though none of the individuals allegedly involved faced criminal charges, according to the DA.
- Morning Rundown: Cornell rape allegations highlight consent laws, Jack Smith wrongly accused of perjury, and gentle giant declared Fat Bear Week champion Eli Lilly’s highly anticipated GLP-1 drug retatrutide helped people with Type 2 diabetes lose up to 60 pounds, or about 23% of their body weight, according to late-stage trial results published Tuesday in The Lancet.
- News10NBC confirmed through the details in the lawsuit that one of the defendants is from Canandaigua.
- Here is what we know about the case so far: In the lawsuit against the university and the then-fraternity members, the woman alleges she visited a friend at Cornell's Chi Phi fraternity house while she was already intoxicated, and alleges that two fraternity members pressured her into taking what they said was ketamine.
- She described drinking and using drugs the night of the alleged rape, and said she had gaps in her memory, according to the transcript.
Sources
- FindLawlink
- PBSlink
- The i Paperlink
- Abcnewslink
- NBC Newslink
- Wheclink
- CBS Newslink
- Insidehigheredlink
- Motherjoneslink
- Nydailynewslink
- Enlink
- Wbaltvlink
- Nbcchicagolink
- WarpBeat — background on Jay-Z Accuser Recants Rape Allegations link
- WarpBeat — background on Jay-Z Accuser Recants Rape Allegations link
- CNN — video link