Cornell DA Reopens Gang Rape Case Against Chi Phi Fraternity Members
Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten announced that his office will reopen the criminal investigation into an alleged gang rape at Cornell University’s Chi Phi fraternity house, more than two years after determining the case did not warrant charges. The case will be presented to a grand jury, Van Houten confirmed, following a civil lawsuit filed by the alleged victim in September 2026.
What the Victim Alleges
A former Cornell student, identified in court documents as Jane Doe, alleges that seven Chi Phi fraternity members sexually assaulted her over several hours in 2024. She claims she was drugged with ketamine without her knowledge and that a fraternity member summoned others through a group Snapchat, allegedly messaging that there was “free p***y” upstairs. Her civil complaint names seven defendants, including Scott Kretzschmar and Scott Norris. Her attorney is Thomas P. Giuffra.
The assault allegedly took place at the Chi Phi fraternity house on or near the Cornell campus in Ithaca, New York. Chi Phi has since been banned from campus, a status Cornell confirmed remains in effect.
Why No Charges Were Filed in 2024
The district attorney’s office initially declined to act, with Van Houten citing a gap between the woman’s civil account and her original police statement. “She never says that she was drugged without her knowledge,” Van Houten said at the time, adding that the original report did not allege force or incapacitation. The 2024 inquiry also relied entirely on Cornell University Police rather than an independent prosecutor-led investigation, a procedural gap that critics have since pointed to as a contributing factor in the initial outcome.
How the Civil Lawsuit Changed Things
The woman’s attorney filed a civil complaint against Cornell University and the seven fraternity members in September 2026. The complaint described what Van Houten called a “dramatically different” account than what appeared in the original police report, prompting him to revisit the decision to close the case. Giuffra also alleged that a Snapchat group chat containing key evidence of the alleged assault was handed to authorities in 2024 but never reached the district attorney’s office — a “critical piece of evidence,” in Giuffra’s words, that he says should have been factored into the original review.
Van Houten did not characterize the new civil account as definitive, but said it was enough to warrant a closer look. “We want to reexamine whether there’s additional evidence that we were not aware of in November of 2024,” he said.
The Grand Jury Process
The alleged victim has agreed to cooperate with the renewed investigation. Van Houten said the case will go before a Tompkins County grand jury, which will evaluate the evidence and determine whether to issue a criminal indictment against any of the seven accused. Two of the men have attorneys who have publicly denied wrongdoing on their clients’ behalf.
If the grand jury returns an indictment and charges move forward, the accused could face felony charges under New York state law. Sexual assault crimes in New York carry significant prison sentences depending on the degree and circumstances of each charge.
Cornell’s Response and Broader Implications
Cornell University said it takes sexual violence allegations seriously but declined to describe any internal disciplinary actions it took, citing federal privacy laws. The university confirmed that Chi Phi remains banned from campus, a restriction that has been in place since the allegations emerged in 2024.
This criminal case has drawn national attention not only because of the allegations themselves, but because of the path it took to get here: a police report, a decision not to charge, a civil lawsuit, and now a grand jury review — nearly two years after the alleged assault first came to light. Advocacy groups have long raised concerns about the gap between how universities and criminal courts handle the same set of allegations, and this case has become a pointed example of that divide.
Curious for more stories that keep you informed and entertained? From the latest headlines to everyday insights, YourLifeBuzz has more to explore. Dive into what’s next.