Cornell fraternity gang rape allegations face renewed criminal investigation

New York prosecutors are reopening an investigation into an alleged gang rape of a former Cornell University student after she filed a civil lawsuit against the university.

Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten told ABC his office plans to present the case to a grand jury after an initial investigation into the alleged October 2024 assault resulted in no criminal charges.

The lawsuit, filed on September 16, alleges seven members of Cornell’s Chi Phi fraternity drugged and sexually assaulted the woman, identified as Jane Doe, at a fraternity house.

None of the accused students have been criminally charged.

“It’s our intention to present the case to the Tompkins County grand jury with Jane Doe’s cooperation,” Van Houten told ABC.

Van Houten said allegations in the lawsuit were “dramatically different” from Doe’s original statement to police and that prosecutors wanted to determine whether additional evidence could change their assessment.

Doe’s lawyer disputed that characterisation, telling CNN the original police report was “not materially different” from the civil complaint.

Cornell said it supports the decision to bring the allegations before a grand jury. The university said its separate Title IX investigation resulted in sanctions including suspensions and expulsions.

Cornell has also barred the Chi Phi chapter involved from campus.