Cornell ex-student sues university, 7 fraternity members over alleged gang rape

A former Cornell University student has filed a lawsuit against the university and seven male members of the Chi Phi fraternity, alleging she was drugged and gang-raped by the students during an hours-long attack at a fraternity house in 2024.

The Independent reported that the 101-page civil complaint was filed on 14 September in New York County Supreme Court. The plaintiff, identified as Jane Doe, alleges the incident took place at the Chi Phi fraternity house in Ithaca, New York, in October 2024, when she was 20 and a member of a campus sorority.

According to the lawsuit, Doe was visiting a friend at the fraternity house while intoxicated when two male students pressured her into snorting a substance they claimed was ketamine.

The complaint alleges that after an initial sexual assault, one of the men posted a message in the fraternity's active Snapchat group chat saying there was "free p****" and inviting other members to join. Seven male students allegedly took part in the assault, which continued for several hours while Doe was incapacitated.

The filing contains graphic allegations of sexual abuse, including claims that the men snorted ketamine from Doe's body, moved her between rooms and continued to rape and sexually assault her before she lost consciousness at around 5:45am.

One of the accused students allegedly later wrote in the Snapchat conversation, "I f****** love chi phi."

Chi Phi fraternity house at Cornell University. Photo: Collected

Doe reported the incident to Cornell University Police Department on 8 November 2024, about three weeks after the alleged assault. Cornell launched a Title IX investigation in January 2025, with at least 12 hearings subsequently held, according to the report.

Her lawyer, Thomas Giuffra, said the university's response failed to adequately address the allegations.

"Her dreams were destroyed by a group of men who sought to abuse and humiliate her," Giuffra said. "She was subjected to unspeakable horrors that I have not seen in my 30 years of handling abuse cases."

Giuffra also referred to messages in the fraternity's group chat.

"The arrogance and cruelty of these men was demonstrated in the fraternity group message which went to every single member of the fraternity inviting them to rape Ms Doe," Giuffra said. "It is truly disheartening that nobody tried to help her and instead laughing comments were made. The lack of humanity displayed was surprising for a group of men who are supposed to be the best and brightest."

According to Doe's legal team, Cornell expelled two of the seven students named in the lawsuit, while the others received lesser sanctions, including temporary suspensions, workshops or essay-writing assignments.

Court filings state that several male students who received temporary suspensions "were afforded the opportunity to mitigate their conduct by submitting essays to CORNELL."

Giuffra also criticised the response from law enforcement, saying Doe did not receive a follow-up call from Cornell police after making her report.

"Based on the group chat evidence, it was obvious that the complaint warranted an investigation and criminal charges against the involved abusers," Giuffra told The Independent. "Instead, Ms Doe heard nothing."

The Tompkins County District Attorney's Office said that following "a thorough review of the police investigation," it concluded that "there was insufficient evidence to support criminal charges."

The handling of the case has also drawn criticism from The Cornell Daily Sun, Cornell's student newspaper.

"Tackling sexual assault as an academic matter — complete with its charts and facts and figures — offers no respite to the victims who have undergone physical and mental abuse," The Sun wrote. "Academic 'solutions,' like the essays, allegedly offered to the defendants to mitigate their suspensions, are belittling to the severity of the crime."

The newspaper's editorial board also criticised delays and a lack of transparency in the university's response, quoting a November 2024 university letter as saying, "Only those who perpetrate sexual violence benefit from its concealment," and adding that "Cornell has failed to protect its students."

Cornell defended its handling of the case in a statement on 21 September, citing university procedures and federal privacy laws.

"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 university said. "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."

Chi Phi's national headquarters also responded to the lawsuit in a statement to CBS News, describing the allegations as "deeply concerning".

"Chi Phi unequivocally condemns sexual violence," the organisation said. "Our founding principles of Truth, Honor, and Personal Integrity, and our mission of Building Better Men, call on every brother to demonstrate character through its actions and respect for the dignity and safety of others. Sexual violence is fundamentally incompatible with those expectations.

"We are aware of the lawsuit concerning an alleged incident in 2024. While we cannot discuss the specific allegations during pending litigation, we take this matter seriously."

Doe, who left Cornell after the incident, is seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages. The lawsuit alleges breach of contract, negligence, negligent supervision, premises liability, and violations of state law.

Giuffra said his client had participated voluntarily in Cornell's Title IX process but ultimately felt she had no alternative to pursuing legal action.

"The anemic response led her to conclude that the only avenue for justice was to file a lawsuit against the involved parties," Giuffra said.

An employer linked to one of the accused students also addressed the allegations on social media on 27 September, saying it was aware of the matter and was reviewing the individual's status and whether any company standards had been breached.