New York prosecutor reopens investigation into Cornell fraternity assault allegations after lawsuit

Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten said his office will present evidence to a grand jury as it reopens the investigation into alleged gang rape at Cornell University's Chi Phi fraternity. The decision follows a civil lawsuit filed on Sept. 16 by a woman identified only as Jane Doe, who alleges she was sexually assaulted by seven fraternity members after being pressured to consume ketamine, marijuana and alcohol in October 2024.

According to the complaint, the accuser reported the incident to campus police three weeks later, leading to the temporary suspension of the fraternity and the seven students involved. The lawsuit seeks undisclosed damages from the men, the fraternity, the university, an Ithaca bar and other parties. The woman's attorney did not immediately comment on the prosecutor's action.

Van Houten noted that the original sworn statement to police did not include claims of gang rape or drugging, and that he had not been contacted by the plaintiff's counsel about the statement until recently. "Seeking justice sometimes requires us to reconsider or reopen cases when we are provided with additional evidence," he said in a statement, adding that community pressure prompted the review.

Cornell University said it supports the reopening of the case and confirmed that it conducted its own disciplinary investigation in 2024, resulting in expulsions and suspensions and the closure of the on-campus Chi Phi chapter. The university declined to disclose the number of students affected, citing federal privacy regulations, and asserted that claims of minimal consequences are inaccurate.

The national Chi Phi organization has not responded to inquiries. Over the weekend, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez criticized what she described as a "culture of rape" at elite schools, referencing the alleged group chat among fraternity members.

Cornell's task force on campus sexual assault, created in 2025, has implemented several recommendations from its report, which noted that a 2025 survey found 35% of undergraduate women and 8% of undergraduate men reported experiencing sexual assault while at the university. Student government president Eeshaan Chaudhuri called for a fresh review of the university's initial investigation and the fraternity's culture.

Van Houten said his office has received a high volume of calls, messages and emails about the case, and that community outrage over incomplete media coverage has prompted the need for an explanation.