Cornell Fraternity Members Texted Group Chat Offering Free Sex Before Hours of Alleged Gang Rape, Lawsuit Claims

A 20-year-old former Cornell University student has accused seven members of the Chi Phi fraternity of drugging and sexually assaulting her for hours after one allegedly advertised her as 'free' in a group chat, according to a lawsuit filed against the Ivy League school this month.

The suit, filed in New York State Supreme Court, names Cornell University, Chi Phi's Xi chapter, its house corporation, Delta Delta Delta sorority, Moonies Bar & Nightclub and seven individuals: Matthew Ingalls, Johnathan Newell, Winston Lee, Gillio Lopes, Diego Sarabia, Scott Norris and Scott Kretzschmar.

What the Lawsuit Alleges

According to the complaint, Doe had been drinking at a Tri-Delta sorority event before continuing to Moonies Bar & Nightclub in downtown Ithaca, where she was allegedly served more alcohol. She left alone around 11pm, made a stop at another venue, and then walked to the Chi Phi house at 107 Edgemoor Lane to see a friend.

Once inside, the lawsuit alleges two brothers, named as Matthew Ingalls and Johnathan Newell, pressured her into snorting what she was told was ketamine. Newell then allegedly poured a line of the substance onto his own body and instructed her to snort it before sexually assaulting her.

At around 1.42am, the suit claims, Newell messaged the fraternity's Snapchat group, 'Chi Phi Actives', declaring there was 'free p—y' upstairs, a message the lawsuit says encouraged other members to abuse the plaintiff.

Additional men then allegedly entered the room, where she says she was further assaulted and given more drugs without consent until she lost consciousness at around 5.45am.

Doe woke later that morning, returned to her sorority house and discovered bruising that she says triggered fragmented memories of the alleged assault. She reported the incident to Cornell University Police Department on 8 November 2024, about three weeks later, after encouragement from friends.

Who Is Named in the Lawsuit

Besides Ingalls and Newell, the complaint names five further Chi Phi members: Winston Lee, Gillio Lopes, Diego Sarabia, Scott Norris and Scott Kretzschmar.

None of the seven has been criminally charged, and the Tompkins County District Attorney's Office said it reviewed the police investigation but found insufficient evidence to support criminal charges.

Cornell's own internal process ran alongside that police involvement. The university's Office of Civil Rights and Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards 'investigated and adjudicated the allegations consistent with university policies', the school said in a written statement issued after the lawsuit was filed.

Cornell added that the Xi chapter of Chi Phi remains barred from its campus, but said federal privacy law prevented it from disclosing individual disciplinary outcomes.

The lawsuit itself alleges the disciplinary response was inadequate: it claims only two of the seven men were expelled, while others were 'afforded the opportunity to mitigate their conduct by submitting essays to Cornell'. Cornell has not publicly confirmed the individual outcomes.

University and Fraternity Response

Kyle Kimball, Cornell's vice-president for university relations, confirmed in the university's statement that Cornell's investigation into the incident has concluded and that the Xi chapter of Chi Phi remains barred from campus. The school said it would 'respond in detail through the legal process' and reiterated that it takes 'sexual violence extremely seriously'.

Cornell also pointed to broader reforms. A Presidential Task Force on Campus Sexual Assault, launched shortly after the 2024 incident, issued a report in March 2026, and the university says several of its recommendations have already been put in place.

Chi Phi's national headquarters, separate from the local chapter, issued its own statement calling the allegations 'deeply concerning' and stating that sexual violence is 'fundamentally incompatible with the fraternity's principles', while stressing the need for a fair legal process.

What the Lawsuit Seeks

Doe's complaint accuses Cornell and the other institutional defendants of negligence for allegedly failing to protect her and for tolerating conditions in which such an assault could occur; it seeks both compensatory and punitive damages.

The suit further alleges she moved more than a thousand miles from home to attend what she believed was her 'dream school', only to encounter what her attorneys describe as a 'glorified — yet materially false and misleading façade' of Cornell Greek life, and that she ultimately left the university as a result of the alleged assault.

An attorney for Kretzschmar has denied the allegations against his client, saying the defence possesses documents and scientific evidence that it believes contradict Doe's account. The other six defendants' positions were not immediately available, and none of the seven has been convicted of a crime in connection with the allegations.

If you have been affected by sexual violence, support is available in the UK through Rape Crisis (0808 802 9999) and in the US through RAINN (1-800-656-4673).