Cornell University's alleged 2024 sexual assault case has resurfaced as a student files a civil lawsuit against seven fraternity members. 

Published on: Sep 28, 2026, 10:38:06 IST

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A 2024 alleged sexual assault at Cornell University has returned to the spotlight after a former student filed a civil lawsuit accusing seven Chi Phi fraternity members of drugging and sexually assaulting her. The case has now been reopened by prosecutors in New York, while celebrities including Florence Pugh and Josh Gad have publicly reacted to the allegations.

The allegations have not been proven in court, and the seven men named in the lawsuit have the right to defend themselves.

What allegedly happened at Cornell in 2024?

According to a civil complaint filed in New York on September 14, 2026, the woman, identified as Jane Doe, was 20 and a Cornell student when the alleged incident took place on October 19, 2024.

The lawsuit says she had been drinking during a night out in Ithaca before going to the Chi Phi fraternity house. She alleges that fraternity members pressured her to consume a substance they described as ketamine before she was sexually assaulted.

The complaint alleges that a Snapchat group used by Chi Phi members contained a message inviting fraternity members upstairs while the woman was in the house. It further alleges that multiple men entered the room and that the sexual assault continued for several hours.

The lawsuit names seven men, Matthew Ingalls, Johnathan Newell, Winston Lee, Gillio Lopes, Diego Sarabia, Scott Norris and Scott Kretzschmar, as defendants, along with Cornell, Chi Phi-related organizations, sorority organizations and other parties.

The woman reported the incident to Cornell University Police in November 2024, according to the lawsuit. No criminal charges were brought at the time.

Why has the Cornell case been reopened?

Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten said prosecutors are now reexamining the allegations following the civil lawsuit.

Van Houten told ABC News that his office intends to present the case to a grand jury with Jane Doe's cooperation and determine whether additional evidence has emerged that could change the earlier assessment of the case. He also said the allegations in the civil lawsuit are “dramatically different” from the woman's original statement to police.

Van Houten said prosecutors did not bring charges in 2024 because, based on the police investigation they reviewed, the woman did not tell authorities that she had been drugged without her knowledge or that she had been forced into sexual activity.

Her attorney, Thomas P. Giuffra, disputes that characterization and said authorities failed to properly follow up with his client. He also said a fraternity group chat described in the lawsuit had been provided to authorities in 2024.

What did Cornell say?

Cornell said it takes allegations of sexual violence “extremely seriously.” The university said its Office of Civil Rights and Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards investigated and adjudicated the allegations under university policies.

Cornell said federal privacy laws prevent it from disclosing individual students' disciplinary records. The university confirmed that the Xi chapter of Chi Phi remains barred from campus.

An attorney for defendant Scott Kretzschmar denied the allegations, saying the alleged incident “did not happen.” Scott Norris also denied participating in sexual activity or drug use, while acknowledging that he sent a message included in the lawsuit.

Florence Pugh and Josh Gad speak out

The case has also drawn attention from Hollywood.

Actor Florence Pugh posted a lengthy statement on Instagram saying she felt “uneasy and sick and anxious” after reading about the allegations. She called on men to speak out against sexual violence and questioned whether institutions were doing enough to protect women.

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Pugh later said Instagram had blocked her original post and reposted her statement, writing that people were being silenced for speaking about the case.

Actor Josh Gad also addressed the allegations, criticizing reports that some accused students had faced disciplinary measures that included essays.

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His comments, like Pugh's, were reactions to allegations that remain unresolved in court.

The reopening of the criminal investigation means prosecutors will now reassess evidence surrounding the 2024 incident, while the civil lawsuit against Cornell, the fraternity organizations and the seven named defendants continues separately.

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