A US Marine, Matthew Ingalls, was wrongly named in a gang rape lawsuit involving Cornell students, causing his family to face threats and harassment.

Published on: Oct 3, 2026, 20:12:47 IST

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An active-duty US Marine Corps sergeant from New York found himself wrongly named as a defendant in a gang rape case filed against Cornell University students — and his family is now facing a wave of unwanted contact and threats, as per a new report.

On September 26, Victoria Ingalls received a 101-page lawsuit that incorrectly listed her son, Matthew Ingalls, among seven Cornell students being sued by a former student who claims she was drugged, assaulted, and mistreated at a fraternity gathering in October 2024, reported The Free Press. The lawsuit was filed by a plaintiff going by Jane Doe earlier this month.

But there was a mix-up. Victoria Ingalls' son — a 23-year-old Marine Corps sergeant — had never attended the Ivy League university. It turns out that court documents were delivered to the wrong Matthew Ingalls, and his mother's address upstate in New York was mistakenly recorded in the court records.

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Camp Lejeune spokesperson speaks out

A representative from Camp Lejeune, the North Carolina military base where Ingalls' son is stationed, verified that he was incorrectly served with the papers. Meanwhile, an attorney working with the law firm representing Jane Doe shared that they are collaborating with the court to fix the mistake, stating to The Free Press: “Service upon the correct Matthew Ingalls is being arranged.”

The actual Ingalls named in the civil lawsuit regarding the alleged attack hasn't faced any criminal charges. Neither he nor his legal representative has made any public statements about the matter.

Marine's family faces harassment and threats

However, due to this blunder, Victoria Ingalls said that her family has faced a flood of online harassment. Internet users shared relatives' private details, such as phone numbers and their home address, and several family members even got threatening text messages.

“My family’s been terrorized, threatened, and harassed,” she told the outlet. “I am just amazed at the way people behave.”

“You can’t just lash out at random at somebody because they have the same name,” she added.

Ingalls mentioned that while her son gets military security while stationed at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, she remains deeply concerned about her family's wellbeing.

“I don’t even know how I feel anymore. I’m so overwhelmed. I’m mostly scared for my kids,” she said.

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