The New York state Attorney General’s Office has announced that they are reviewing Cornell University’s handling of a 2024 fraternity sexual assault case. Local prosecutors have reopened a criminal investigation this week.
New York State Attorney General Letitia James’ office confirmed on Tuesday, September 29 that they have begun reviewing Cornell University’s handling of the case. As the review has just begun, it is unclear what actions may be taken.
On the same day, New York Governor Kathy Hochul expressed support for the reopening of the investigation on social media, calling for an “open, independent review” of the university’s handling of the situation to ensure Cornell fulfilled its duty to protect students.
Cornell University, located in Ithaca, New York, is one of the Ivy League schools. Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten issued a nine-page statement on Monday, September 28, announcing the reopening of the investigation and the case being presented to a grand jury.
Van Houten assigned a senior prosecutor with experience in sexual assault cases to prepare for the case and expressed the hope of presenting the case to a grand jury in a reasonable time frame. The grand jury is responsible for reviewing evidence presented by the prosecutor to determine if there is enough reason to formally charge a crime, not to determine guilt.
The reopening of the investigation stems from a civil lawsuit. A former Cornell student, identified as “Jane Doe” in the lawsuit, filed a lawsuit in a Manhattan court in mid-September, alleging that seven current or former members of the Chi Phi fraternity sexually assaulted her on October 19, 2024, at the fraternity house in Ithaca, while she was incapacitated by alcohol and drugs and unable to give consent. She was 20 years old at the time.
The complaint spans about 101 pages and includes allegations not only against the seven members but also against Cornell University, the local chapter of Chi Phi, and the national organization. The complaint accuses the university of knowing or should have known about the risks of sexual assault and drugs within the fraternity but failing to adequately supervise.
Van Houten noted that in the sworn statement “Jane Doe” submitted to the campus police in 2024, there was no allegation of being drugged without knowledge or multiple assaults, which was the reason for not prosecuting at the time. He pointed out that the allegations in the complaint were “completely different” from the contents of the statement at the time, and he still stands by the decision made then. He also mentioned that Doe and her lawyers had never contacted him before.
Doe’s lawyer, Thomas Giuffra, questioned Van Houten’s description of the statement and criticized the authorities for not following up with the involved parties. The legal team believes that there are no substantial differences between the information reported in the original case and the 2026 complaint.
According to police documents obtained by the media, Doe signed a six-page statement on November 15, 2024, describing herself as highly intoxicated at the time, having refused some sexual acts, and feeling pressured that night. The complaint includes screenshots of Snapchat messages from the fraternity group, where one of the defendants allegedly invited other members to join. Van Houten stated that he did not analyze these messages back then as they were recently submitted by Cornell; he described the content as vulgar but not relevant to the issue of “consent” in a legal sense, though they will still be presented to the grand jury. Cornell University stated on its website’s FAQ page that all investigation materials were provided to the district attorney’s office back then; Doe’s lawyer also claimed that this information had been submitted to the authorities in 2024.
Cornell University has expressed support for the reopening of the investigation by the district attorney’s office. The university stated that following a Title IX investigation conducted in 1972 under the Education Amendments of 1972 Section Nine, disciplinary actions such as expulsion and suspension were taken against the students involved.
Title IX is a federal law that prohibits educational institutions receiving federal financial assistance from engaging in gender discrimination. Investigations conducted by the university under Title IX involve internal administrative procedures and can address allegations of sexual harassment, sexual assault, among others, leading to disciplinary measures such as suspension or expulsion, which differ from criminal proceedings conducted by law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies.
The Chi Phi national organization declined to comment on the specific allegations, citing the ongoing litigation, but condemned sexual violence unequivocally.
Among the seven accused, one person through their lawyer stated that they did not engage in any sexual activity or drug use, and the school did not find him responsible for the allegations. They admitted to participating in conversations in the Snapchat group and briefly entering the room in question but not during the incident. The lawyers for several defendants denied the accusations in the complaint.
Doe reported the case to the Cornell campus police in November 2024 and signed a sworn statement on November 15. The university then suspended the local Chi Phi chapter and the activities of the seven accused students. The Cornell Chi Phi chapter was closed that year and remains barred from campus activities to this day.
The Title IX investigation by the school, as documented in the complaint, began in January 2025 and lasted for several months, conducted by a trained staff panel. The exact number of individuals who faced expulsion or suspension as a result of the investigation was not disclosed by the university, but Doe’s lawyer claimed that two of the seven were expelled. The complaint also noted that some defendants were allowed to submit articles to mitigate their penalties in November 2024.
In 2024, the Tompkins County District Attorney’s office decided not to prosecute based on the campus police investigation. Van Houten acknowledged that his office did not conduct an independent investigation at the time and relied on the campus police findings. Cornell University stated that campus police are sworn law enforcement agencies. The Ithaca Police Department stated on September 28 that they had never been informed of the case and only learned of the allegations through the media.
The ongoing reopening of the investigation by the district attorney’s office and the review by the state Attorney General are still ongoing, and the developments are to be further monitored.