Cornell Case

A sexual assault reported at Cornell University in 2024 is being investigated after nearly two years. The case became public again in September 2026 when the victim filed a civil lawsuit against Cornell, Chi Phi, and the seven former fraternity members and other parties. 

The lawsuit accuses the seven men of sexual assault and accusses Cornell of failing to properly respond to the situation. After the lawsuit was filed, Van Houten announced that the criminal investigation would be reopened. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul later selected Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor to manage the case.

A former Cornell student says “Jane Doe” was sexually assaulted by multiple members of the Chi Phi Fraternity, but the case did not lead to criminal charges at the time. Now, after Jane Doe filed a lawsuit against Cornell and seven former fraternity members, the investigation has been reopened and is being handled by New York Attorney General Letitia James.

There has been controversy over the punishment. Doe’s lawsuit says the students were given opportunities to lessen their conduct by writing essays. Cornell has denied that essays were the only punishment given. 

Cornell students began protesting, including a seven hour sit in on October 7 to increase awareness and show solidarity with Jane Doe. 

The Tompkins County District Attorney’s Office did not bring charges in 2024. District Attorney Matthew Van Houten has said his office based its decision on the information it received at the time and did not receive the full transcript of Doe’s interview with Cornell police. 

“No institution gets to protect its reputation at the expense of a young person seeking justice. No public official gets to look the other way when the system breaks down and fails our young people. And as governor I will not allow anyone to sweep this case under the rug,” New York Governor Kathy Hochul said. 

As of October 3, 2026, none of the seven men named in the lawsuit, Matthew Ingalls, Jonathan Newell, Winston Lee, Gillio Lopes, Diego Sarabia, Scott Norris, and Scott Kretzschmar have been criminally charged. Atterneys for Scott Kretschmar and Scott Norris have denied their clients were involved in alleged rape, while the other defendants have not publicly responded to the allegations.

The investigation is still ongoing. The case has raised questions about how colleges respond to sexual assault reports, how evidence is handled and how cases involving intoxication and concent are investigated. 

Despite attempts to speak to Cornell students about the situation, no students were available or willing to be interviewed for this article. As a result their perspectives could not be included. 

The incident happened during the early morning of October 2024, at the Chi Phi fraternity house in Ithaca, New York. Jane Doe was 20 years old at the time. 

According to her lawsuit, she had been drinking before going to the fraternity house. She says she initially agreed to sexual activity but became increasingly intoxicated as the night continued. 

“It’s definitely pretty intimidating and disappointing given that a lot of schools' biggest selling point is not only the safety of their campuses but also Greek life. Students should be able to enjoy both of those things, have fun, and gain those new experiences without such big safety concerns,” NHS senior Nicole Kirsch said.

She reported the incident to Cornell University Police in November 2024. During an interview, she told police that she was extremely intoxicated and that the situation became uncomfortable as more men became involved. She told investigators that she was completely confident that she was raped. 

One of the biggest parts of the case is a Snapchat group chat involving 57 members of the fraternity. Messages were sent in the group about Doe while the incident was happening. One message referred to her as being available for sex, and another person later asked, “Shop still open?” and received the response, “Yea.” The 57 people in the group chat were not all accused of participating in the alleged assault. 

“I understand the way she’s feeling and I don’t want others to feel that way. This case is extremely serious and sad because she will always remember what happened to her which is unfortunate,” NHS senior Anna Oliveira said.

Cornell independently investigated after Doe reported the incident. The university’s Title IX investigation included more than 50 interviews and 12 days of hearings. Cornell says two students were expelled and two were suspended for at least two semesters. One had already graduated, and two were found not responsible for sexual misconduct.

“Based on the facts I know of the case the recommended punishment would be to at minimum withdraw them from the fraternity. Two of them were expelled from school, but there was one that graduated before punishment was even addressed. I don't know if there’s something they could back track on for his behavior. Regardless of the allegations made by Jane Doe, the behaviors of the frat, the drinking, the excessive partying, drug use, etc. is inappropriate on a college campus as well,” NHS SRO Stephanie Dermott said.