Cornell Police Flagged 'Alcoholic Drinking Games' and Unregistered Frat Event Before 2022 Sexual Assault Allegation

A Cornell University Police Department officer warned that a fraternity had been caught hosting an unregistered event with 'alcoholic drinking games' and a common source of alcohol just weeks before an alleged drugging and sexual assault in November 2022, according to an internal email obtained by TMZ.

The message raises questions about how consistently Cornell enforced its own rules on fraternity misconduct in the run-up to the allegation.

The email was sent on 9 November 2022, shortly after Cornell police reported a series of drugging incidents and a sexual assault allegation linked to fraternity activity.

According to the report, the officer pointed to Alpha Epsilon Pi, saying CUPD had referred the fraternity on 3 September over an unregistered event, alcoholic drinking games and a common source of alcohol.

The officer wrote that, had an interim suspension been imposed, the chapter would not have been permitted to hold an event on the night of an alleged drugging and sexual assault.

Police Had Flagged Fraternity Violations Before the November Incident

The CUPD email described what the officer viewed as a gap between Cornell's stated rules and their enforcement. According to the document, university policy called for fraternities accused of certain violations, including underage alcohol consumption and unregistered events, to face an interim suspension while the matter was reviewed.

The officer wrote that organisations found responsible for violations he believed warranted suspension were sometimes receiving lesser penalties.

'According to policy and as directed by [then] University President [Martha] Pollack, referrals alleging violations of underage consumption of alcohol and unregistered events among others will result in immediate placement on interim suspension.

If the organization is found responsible, the final sanction according to policy is a three year suspension at minimum,' the email read.

'The concern of many is that there is a disconnect between policy and what is being done ... organizations are routinely being found responsible for many violations that warrant suspension and are most times not even given probation,' it continued.

Cornell's current fraternity and sorority policy shows that unregistered events and alcohol-related safety violations can lead to an immediate interim suspension. The rules also prohibit drinking games and the use of common sources of alcohol outside approved arrangements.

Cornell says chapters hosting events must submit them through its notification process and comply with requirements covering alcohol, guest lists and sober event monitors.

A Fraternity Event Came Under Scrutiny

It was also reported that the officer believed the chapter would have been barred from hosting an event if the university had imposed the interim suspension he said its policy required. The email explained that the fraternity had previously been referred to CUPD over several alleged violations.

'That house was referred by CUPD on 9/3/22 for an unregistered event, alcoholic drinking games, and common source of alcohol. If an interim suspension had been implemented, the house would not have been permitted to have an event on the night that a drugging and sexual assault is alleged,' the email read.

The officer's account does not establish that the earlier violations caused or contributed to the alleged sexual assault. It does, however, provide context about the disciplinary concerns surrounding the fraternity before the incident.

Cornell's own records show that Alpha Epsilon Pi was later subjected to a three-year suspension and loss of recognition following violations that included providing alcohol to minors and failing to comply with the university's social-event rules.

Cornell's organisation scorecard says the suspension ran from autumn 2023 through the first day of instruction in 2026.

Separately, Cornell has said its investigation into the 2024 allegations resulted in disciplinary action against students, including expulsions, and that the Chi Phi chapter remains barred from campus. The university has also said it supports the decision to reopen the criminal investigation.