A former Cornell University student has claimed she was drugged and gang-raped inside a fraternity house, according to a civil lawsuit. The alleged assault occurred in October 2024 inside the Chi Phi fraternity house in Ithaca, New York, after the woman, then 20, was pressured into snorting a drug believed to be ketamine.
Before the alleged hours-long assault, one male student reportedly sent a message to the fraternity's Snapchat group saying there was 'free p****' and invited others to join, according to documents seen by The Independent. Several men allegedly arrived before the woman was subjected to violent abuse and sexual assault across various rooms until she lost consciousness.
District attorney reopens case
The civil complaint sparked outrage, and officials are now reconsidering the case and whether to bring criminal charges, ABC News reports. County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten said his office will look into the case again, although the woman's allegations in the civil complaint are 'dramatically different' from her statement to campus police two years ago.
No criminal charges were brought against the seven men in 2024 because the student's initial police statement did not claim she was drugged and that the sexual activities were not consensual, Van Houten said. The Chi Phi chapter remains banned from Cornell's campus following the alleged incident.
Attorney disputes handling
The woman, named in documents under the pseudonym Jane Doe, had dreamed about graduating from Cornell since childhood, but this was 'destroyed by a group of men who sought to abuse and humiliate her,' her attorney Thomas Giuffra claimed. He said the messages in the fraternity group chat showed the 'arrogrance and cruelty of these men.'
Giuffra accused authorities of not contacting her client and relying on the investigation carried out by Cornell campus police. Van Houten said this was in line with standard practice across New York counties. Giuffra insisted that the Snapchat messages were provided to authorities in 2024, while the district attorney said the messages were never provided to his office.
University response
Cornell said in a statement: 'Cornell University is aware of a lawsuit concerning the deeply disturbing allegations of sexual assault involving members of the student community that occurred in 2024. The Cornell Office of Civil Rights and the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards investigated and adjudicated the allegations consistent with university policies. The Xi chapter of Chi Phi fraternity remains barred from our campus. Federal privacy law prohibits Cornell from disclosing specific information regarding individual students and we therefore are unable to make a public statement on any other disciplinary response. Violations of university policies could lead to sanctions up to and including suspension or expulsion. We will respond in detail through the legal process.'
The university added it takes 'sexual violence extremely seriously' and that it launched a task force on campus sexual assault shortly after the incident.
