# Cornell Fraternity Tried to Silence Witness After Alleged Gang Rape > Cornell fraternity members allegedly tried to silence a witness to protect their reputation after Jane Doe reported gang rape in 2024. - Title: Cornell Fraternity Tried to Silence Witness After Alleged… - Summary: Cornell fraternity members allegedly tried to silence a witness to protect their reputation after Jane Doe reported gang rape in 2024. Cornell fraternity… - Keywords: cornell, chi phi fraternity, jane doe, gang rape, alleged gang rape, title ix, university, student protest, seven-hour protest, campus protest, fraternity, rape case - Source: Dailymail — https://dailymail.com/news/article-16191177/cornell-fraternity-silence-victim-gang-rape-lawsuit-campus-protest.html?ito=1490&ns_campaign=1490&ns_mchannel=rss - Published: 2026-10-07T19:59:31+00:00 - Read time: 2 min - Topics: cornell, chi phi fraternity, jane doe, gang rape, alleged gang rape, title ix, university, student protest, seven-hour protest, campus protest, fraternity, rape case ## Cornell Fraternity Alleged Gang Rape Case Cornell University fraternity brothers accused of gang rape allegedly tried to silence a witness to protect their fraternity's reputation. > Cornell University fraternity brothers accused of gang rape allegedly tried to silence a witness to protect their fraternity's reputation ## Jane Doe Lawsuit Filed The victim, identified only as Jane Doe, filed a lawsuit claiming she was coerced into taking drugs and sexually assaulted by seven members of the Chi Phi fraternity at an off-campus house in 2024. > The victim, identified only as Jane Doe, filed a lawsuit claiming she was coerced into taking drugs and sexually assaulted by seven members of the Chi Phi fraternity at an off-campus house in 2024 ## Prosecutors Declined Charges Prosecutors determined there was 'insufficient evidence' to bring criminal sexual assault charges after Jane Doe reported the incident. > Prosecutors determined there was 'insufficient evidence' to bring criminal sexual assault charges ## Cornell Title IX Investigation Cornell launched a Title IX investigation into the students in 2025, and the university shut down the Chi Phi fraternity. > Cornell launched a Title IX investigation into the students in 2025, and the university shut down the fraternity ## Student Punishments Matthew Ingalls and Jonathan Newell were expelled; Winston Lee and Gillio Lopes were suspended and re-enrolled; Diego Sarabia was banned from campus after graduating; Scott Norris and Scott Kretzschmar were found not responsible for sexual activity. > Matthew Ingalls and Jonathan Newell were expelled from campus; Winston Lee and Gillio Lopes were both suspended and have since re-enrolled; Diego Sarabia had already graduated but was banned from campus; and Scott Norris and Scott Kretzschmar were found not responsible for sexual activity, and their punishments did not include expulsion or any suspensions ## Student Protest Planned Students planned a seven-hour sit-in, one hour for each of the accused men, to protest the university's handling of the allegations. > Students have planned a seven-hour sit-in, one hour for each of the accused fraternity brothers, on Wednesday ## Police Tip Revealed Cornell police received a tip that the men tried to silence a potential witness to protect their fraternity's reputation after Jane Doe filed her police report. > Cornell police received a tip that the men tried to silence a potential witness to protect their fraternity's reputation after Jane Doe filed her police report ## Witness Account The witness, a woman, claimed the brothers described the incident as a 'consensual orgy' but expressed concern it would be bad for their image. > The witness, a woman, then reported that to police. 'Chi Phi held a meeting essentially to get all of the men on the same page about what happened. I know for a fact there are group messages about the situation,' the witness allegedly said. ## Fraternity Text Messages Text messages showed fraternity leadership texted Matthew Ingalls after the alert was sent out and asked when he last spoke to Jane Doe. > Text messages showed that fraternity leadership texted Ingalls after the alert was sent out and said: 'When was the last time you spoke to [Jane Doe]?' ## Fraternity Snapchat Group One of the men allegedly posted to the fraternity's active-members Snapchat group saying there was 'free p***y' upstairs, referring to Jane Doe. > One of the men allegedly posted to the fraternity's active-members Snapchat group saying that there was 'free p***y' upstairs, referring to Doe, according to the filing, which included an image of the purported chat ## Jane Doe's Account Jane Doe claimed she began the night with underage drinking at several bars with sorority sisters before being invited to an afterparty at the Chi Phi fraternity house. > Jane Doe claimed the night of October 19, 2024, began with underage drinking at several bars with sorority sisters before she was then invited to an afterparty at the Chi Phi fraternity house, and she 'stumbled alone' to meet up with her friend, Ingalls ## Jane Doe's Alleged Experience She said she agreed to have sex with Ingalls and another man but was pressured to snort ketamine and smoke marijuana as she became heavily intoxicated. > She said she then agreed to have sex with Ingalls and another man, but alleged that she was pressured to snort ketamine and smoke marijuana as she became heavily intoxicated ## Fraternity's Response The brothers described the incident as a 'consensual orgy' but expressed concern it would be bad for their image. > She claimed that the brothers described the incident as a 'consensual orgy' but expressed concern that it 'would be bad for [their] image' ## Police Alert After a campus-wide alert was sent out about a reported rape on November 8, 2024, Chi Phi allegedly asked a potential witness to stay quiet. > After a campus-wide alert was sent out about a reported rape on November 8, 2024, Chi Phi allegedly asked a potential witness to stay quiet because 'the reputation of all involved and the frat would be ruined' ## Fraternity Meeting The witness claimed Chi Phi held a meeting to get all the men on the same page about what happened, with group messages about the situation. > Chi Phi held a meeting essentially to get all of the men on the same page about what happened. I know for a fact there are group messages about the situation ## Student Protest Location The coalition of students gathered at the Toni Morrison Dining Hall on campus at 1.30pm ET and are set to stay there until 8.30pm. > The coalition of students protesting the university's handling of the allegations gathered at the Toni Morrison Dining Hall on campus at 1.30pm ET and are set to stay there until 8.30pm ## Key takeaway Cornell fraternity brothers accused of gang rape tried to silence a witness to save their frat's reputation after Jane Doe filed a lawsuit.