Cornell Student Alleges Gang Rape by Seven Fraternity Members, None Arrested or Charged

A former Cornell University student has accused seven fraternity members of drugging and sexually assaulting her for hours at a campus fraternity house, while prosecutors say the criminal investigation did not produce enough evidence to bring charges.

The woman, identified as Jane Doe in a civil lawsuit, was 20 and attending Cornell at the time. According to the lawsuit, the alleged assault began at the Chi Phi fraternity house in Ithaca, New York, on 19 October 2024 and continued into the following morning.

The lawsuit was filed on 14 September 2026 against Cornell and seven current or former fraternity members, among other defendants.

The allegations have not been proven in court. The Tompkins County District Attorney's Office said it conducted a thorough review of the police investigation but found 'insufficient evidence to support criminal charges'.

Cornell's original campus crime alert reported a different date for the incident, saying it occurred overnight on 25–26 October 2024. The reason for the discrepancy between the university's earlier alert and the date stated in the lawsuit is unclear.

Lawsuit Alleges Assault Continued for Hours

According to the complaint, Doe had been drinking before arriving at the Chi Phi house to visit a friend. She alleges that two fraternity members pressured her into snorting what they told her was ketamine before sexual activity began without her consent. The lawsuit claims additional men later entered the room and sexually assaulted her while she was incapacitated.

The complaint also includes a screenshot purportedly showing a message sent to a Snapchat group called 'Chi Phi Actives' while the alleged assault was taking place.

One member allegedly announced that there was 'free p***y' available, after which more men arrived, according to the lawsuit. The filing alleges the assault continued for several hours, ending at around 5.45am.

Doe later reported the allegations to university police. CBS News, citing the complaint, reported that she made the report about three weeks after the alleged attack.

'Not One of These Guys Was Arrested'

Cornell subsequently launched an internal investigation involving at least 12 hearings, according to CBS News.

Doe's lawyer, Thomas Giuffra, said two of the seven accused students were ultimately expelled while others received lesser sanctions, including suspensions, workshops or written assignments. Cornell has not publicly confirmed the individual disciplinary outcomes, citing federal student privacy law.

'Not one of these guys was arrested. Not one,' Giuffra said.

According to Giuffra, none of the seven men was arrested, while prosecutors have confirmed that no criminal charges were filed. Doe later left Cornell, with her lawyer saying the alleged assault had profoundly affected her ability to continue her education.

Lawyer for Accused Student Denies Allegations

An attorney for one of the seven defendants, Scott Kretzschmar, has denied the allegations against his client. Attorney Jeremy Saland said the defence possesses documents and scientific evidence that it believes contradict Doe's account and pointed to the decision by prosecutors not to bring criminal charges.

The allegations against Kretzschmar and the other defendants remain unresolved in the civil case.

Cornell Says Fraternity Remains Barred

Cornell said its Office of Civil Rights and Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards investigated and adjudicated the allegations under university policies.

The university confirmed that the Xi chapter of Chi Phi remains barred from campus and said it takes sexual violence 'extremely seriously'. It added that it would respond to the lawsuit in detail through the legal process.

Chi Phi's national headquarters described the allegations as 'deeply concerning' and said sexual violence was fundamentally incompatible with the fraternity's principles, while stressing the need for a fair legal process. The lawsuit accuses Cornell and other defendants of negligence and other violations and seeks compensatory and punitive damages.