Lawsuit alleges a 2024 sexual assault at the fraternity house and raises questions about Cornell’s handling of the case.
ITHACA, N.Y. — A former Cornell University student is suing the university, Chi Phi fraternity and seven former fraternity members over allegations that she was sexually assaulted at the fraternity’s Ithaca house in October 2024.
The woman, identified in court documents as Jane Doe, was 20 and a Cornell student at the time. Her lawsuit alleges that she was intoxicated and later given a substance she was told was ketamine before multiple men sexually assaulted her.
According to the complaint, the alleged assault occurred after she went to the Chi Phi house following an evening out in Ithaca.
The lawsuit claims that messages were sent to other fraternity members during the incident and that additional men entered the room. The complaint alleges that the assault continued for hours and that the woman eventually lost consciousness.
Report Made to Cornell Police
The former student reported the alleged assault to Cornell University Police in November 2024, according to the lawsuit.
Cornell subsequently investigated the allegations through its disciplinary and Title IX processes. The lawsuit contends that the university failed to adequately protect the student and improperly handled aspects of the case.
The seven individual defendants named in the lawsuit are Matthew Ingalls, Johnathan Newell, Winston Lee, Gillio Lopes, Diego Sarabia, Scott Norris and Scott Kretzschmar.
The allegations against the defendants have not been proven in court, and the lawsuit represents the plaintiff’s claims.
Criminal Charges Were Not Filed
The civil lawsuit comes after a law-enforcement investigation into the allegations.
The Tompkins County District Attorney’s Office reviewed the investigation but determined that there was insufficient evidence to pursue criminal charges, according to reports cited in the case.
That decision does not determine the outcome of the separate civil lawsuit, which seeks monetary damages.
At least one attorney representing a defendant has publicly denied the allegations. Attorney Jeremy Saland, representing Scott Kretzschmar, said his client disputes the claims and that evidence exists that the defense believes contradicts portions of the complaint.
Cornell Responds
Cornell has said that its offices investigated the allegations under university policies and that the Chi Phi chapter remains barred from campus.
The university has also pointed to changes made in response to concerns surrounding sexual assault prevention and response, including recommendations from a Presidential Task Force on Campus Sexual Assault.
Chi Phi’s national organization has said it condemns sexual violence and takes such allegations seriously but declined to discuss the specific claims while the litigation is pending.
The former student ultimately left Cornell, according to reports.
The civil case now moves forward in court, where the allegations, defenses and evidence will be examined through the legal process.
WDEP Radio News will continue to follow developments in the case as new court filings and statements become available.
