Cornell Fraternity Members Claim Sexual Encounter Was Consensual

Newly surfaced video footage reveals a stark contradiction regarding an alleged gang rape at Cornell University. Two members of the Chi Phi fraternity told investigators that the sexual encounter was between consenting adults. This claim challenges the account given by the woman identified in court records only as Jane Doe. She filed a lawsuit last month, stating she was sexually assaulted by several male students two years prior after being pressured to consume alcohol and drugs.

In interviews obtained by ABC News, these brothers insisted the act took place voluntarily. One stated that people claimed there were multiple consenting adults in the room. Another echoed this sentiment, saying there was a consensual act that occurred. When an investigating officer pressed them on how they knew consent existed, one brother admitted he did not recall exactly what was said but noted others claimed they had sex with her. The officer pointed out that college students often have different views on such situations and questioned how they could be sure about consent without clear evidence.

The lawsuit filed in September details the specific allegations against seven men named Umar Matthew Ingalls, Jonathan Newell, Winston Lee, Gillio Lopes, Diego Sarabia, Scott Noris, and Scott Kretzschmar. The incident allegedly happened on October 19, 2024, at a now defunct Chi Phi fraternity house. Doe claimed she was completely incapacitated during the time these men engaged in sexual acts with her without permission. She stated the ordeal lasted until approximately 5:45 am before she lost consciousness entirely.

According to the civil filing, the women alleged that the group manipulated her into taking ketamine and alcohol that night. All seven accused men have either denied the accusations outright or claimed the sex was consensual. Doe, a sophomore at the time, was twenty years old when this occurred. She reported the alleged assault to Cornell police in November 2024, three weeks after she said it took place.

Campus police conducted an investigation and shared their findings with the district attorney's office. Those officials relied on that information when deciding not to bring criminal charges against anyone involved. Separately, Cornell launched its own Title IX inquiry into the matter. To date, no criminal charges have been filed in this case. The facts remain available for public review through court documents and news reports regarding these specific events.

Cornell University shut down the Chi Phi chapter following a sexual assault case that rocked the campus community. The school expelled several students and suspended others while disciplinary actions varied by individual involvement. Umar Matthew Ingalls told officials he was the victim of sexual assault, claiming severe intoxication prevented him from consenting to any intercourse. In an email sent in February 2025 to Cornell's Title IX investigator, Ingalls accused the university of entrapment and said he planned to file his own complaint against the alleged attacker. Jane Doe stated she was gang raped on October 19, 2024 after Ingalls invited her to a party at the fraternity house. The lawsuit filed by the accuser included messages from Snapchat showing Chi Phi members discussing the incident and advertising free sex. Ingalls and Newell were expelled because they engaged in a threesome with Jane Doe while allegedly striking her during the attack. Records obtained by The New York Times show suspensions and probation orders for Lee and Lopes as well. Both men received bans on contacting the alleged victim and were required to study sexual harassment and write reflection papers. Sarabia faced a three-year campus ban after graduating before the disciplinary panel ruled in March 2025. Norris and Kretzschmar also could not contact Jane Doe and had to complete similar educational assignments. These two men did not participate in the alleged attack but entered the room after Newell posted about free sex upstairs on a fraternity Snapchat group. None of the men involved faced criminal charges because Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten found insufficient evidence based on Jane Doe's initial police statement. His office has since reopened the case and Governor Kathy Hochul appointed Attorney General Letitia James as a special prosecutor to handle it. Footage from ABC News displays the room where the alleged gang rape occurred, showing seven men engaging in sexual acts with an incapacitated woman without consent. Officials announced Tuesday that they hired former Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates to review how Cornell handled this specific case and its broader policies on sexual assault. The probe covers policies, practices, and resources across prevention and response as university officials explained. This investigation examines how reports are received and investigated, how hearings and disciplinary decisions are managed, the role of campus police, coordination with law enforcement and prosecutors, and oversight of fraternities and sororities.