Overview
- The plaintiff, identified as Jane Doe, alleges she was drugged and sexually assaulted by multiple men at the Chi Phi house on October 19, 2024, after leaving a bar in Ithaca.
- Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten first declined to file charges in late 2024 for lack of evidence but announced on September 28, 2026 that his office is reopening the criminal investigation and will present material to a grand jury.
- Seven men named in the civil complaint — Matthew Ingalls, Johnathan Newell, Winston Lee, Gillio Lopes, Diego Sarabia, Scott Norris and Scott Kretzschmar — have not been formally charged as of October 1, 2026.
- Cornell’s separate Title IX process led to two expulsions, two suspensions, one student who had already graduated and two findings of not responsible, while the Chi Phi chapter was closed and the university has not matched outcomes to individual names publicly.
- Governor Kathy Hochul said Cornell agreed to hire outside counsel for an independent review, a step that could increase pressure for transparency and that readers should watch to see whether the grand jury brings indictments or the review changes university practices.