A New York prosecutor has reopened an investigation into allegations of a gang sexual assault at a Cornell University fraternity after a woman filed a lawsuit accusing seven students of sexually assaulting her in 2024.
Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten said Monday that his office will present evidence to a grand jury as questions grow over why criminal charges were not previously brought in the case.
The woman, identified in the lawsuit by the pseudonym Jane Doe, filed the complaint on September 16. She alleges that she was sexually assaulted at the Chi Phi fraternity house in October 2024 after being pressured to consume alcohol and drugs.
According to the lawsuit, the woman was a 20-year-old Cornell student and member of a sorority at the time. She alleges that she became incapacitated after being pressured into snorting ketamine, smoking marijuana and drinking alcohol, before being sexually assaulted by seven fraternity members.
The allegations have not been established in court, and the seven men have not been convicted of criminal offenses in connection with the claims.
Prosecutor Says Investigation Is Being Reconsidered
Van Houten said the woman initially contacted campus police following the alleged incident but did not, in her initial sworn statement, allege that she had been gang-raped or drugged.
The prosecutor also said his office had not previously been contacted by the woman’s attorney about reconsidering the decision not to prosecute.
Van Houten said he recently contacted the attorney and began reviewing the matter again.
“Seeking justice sometimes requires us to reconsider or reopen cases when we are provided with additional evidence,” Van Houten said in a statement.
He said community members had asked him to revisit whether criminal charges should be pursued against the seven fraternity members.
The renewed investigation will now include a presentation of evidence to a grand jury.
Cornell Says Students Faced Disciplinary Action
Cornell University said it supports the prosecutor’s decision to reopen the investigation.
The university said it conducted its own disciplinary investigation in 2024 and imposed sanctions against students involved, including expulsions and suspensions.
The Chi Phi chapter on campus was also closed in 2024 and remains prohibited from operating on campus, according to the university.
Cornell said a panel of trained faculty and staff reviewed evidence over several days during its internal investigation. The university said both the woman and the accused students had opportunities to testify and present evidence.
Officials declined to provide details about the individual sanctions, citing federal student privacy requirements.
The university rejected suggestions that those involved received only minor disciplinary consequences.
“Any suggestion that the university did not impose consequential punishments for those involved is false,” Cornell said.
Lawsuit Accuses University of Failing to Prevent Assault
The lawsuit also names Cornell University, the Chi Phi fraternity, an Ithaca bar and others as defendants.
The woman is seeking unspecified damages and accuses the university of failing to prevent the alleged assaults and properly address sexual violence on campus.
The complaint includes what it describes as a screenshot of a group chat involving fraternity members discussing events surrounding the night of the alleged assault.
According to the lawsuit, the fraternity and seven members were temporarily suspended after the woman reported the incident to campus police several weeks later.
The complaint alleges that the students were given an opportunity to mitigate their conduct by submitting essays to Cornell.
The university disputed that characterization, saying none of the students involved faced essay writing as the sole consequence of their conduct and pointing instead to expulsions and suspensions.
Social Media Fuels Public Debate
The lawsuit and reopening of the criminal investigation have generated intense discussion on social media.
Some users have criticized Cornell and the district attorney’s office, while others have questioned aspects of the allegations. Photos of the seven fraternity members have also circulated online.
Van Houten said his office had received a large volume of calls, emails and voicemails since the lawsuit became public, including messages seeking answers as well as insults and threats.
He said the public reaction was partly driven by what he described as incomplete information circulating online.
The case has also drawn attention from prominent political figures.
New York Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez criticized what she described as a culture that protects sexual misconduct at elite institutions during a forum near Cornell’s campus over the weekend.
Cornell Reports Broader Sexual Assault Concerns
Cornell said a university task force established in 2025 to examine campus sexual assault issued recommendations earlier this year. The university said several recommendations have already been implemented, while others remain under development.
The task force’s report cited a 2025 university survey in which 35% of undergraduate women and 8% of undergraduate men reported experiencing sexual assault during their time at Cornell.
Cornell senior and student government president Eeshaan Chaudhuri said the case should prompt another examination of the university’s original investigation as well as the response from law enforcement.
He also called for scrutiny of the culture surrounding the fraternity.
The renewed criminal investigation is now expected to determine whether the evidence supports bringing charges against the seven men.
