ITHACA, United States — Prosecutors have reopened an investigation into an alleged sexual assault at Cornell University after a former student filed a lawsuit accusing seven members of a fraternity of drugging and sexually assaulting her in 2024.
The woman, identified in court papers only as Jane Doe, alleges that she was unable to consent during an hours-long encounter at the Chi Phi fraternity house in Ithaca, New York.
Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten said on Monday, September 28, 2026, that his office would reopen its investigation and present the matter to a grand jury, which will determine whether there is sufficient evidence to bring criminal charges.
The development followed renewed scrutiny generated by Doe’s civil lawsuit against Cornell University, seven former or current fraternity members, and other defendants.
No criminal charges had been announced against the seven men, and lawyers representing some of them have denied allegations of wrongdoing.
Lawsuit Describes Night at Fraternity House
According to the lawsuit, Doe was 20 when she attended social events involving members of Cornell’s Chi Phi fraternity on October 19, 2024.
She alleges that she consumed alcohol and was later pressured into taking drugs, including ketamine, before becoming severely intoxicated.
The lawsuit says she initially agreed to some sexual activity involving two men but subsequently became increasingly impaired as other fraternity members entered the room.
Doe alleges that she repeatedly refused some proposed sexual activity and became unable to give meaningful consent as the night progressed.
A Snapchat group conversation cited in the lawsuit contains messages that Doe’s lawyers say show fraternity members discussing her while the alleged assault was taking place.
One message referred to a sexual opportunity being available to other fraternity members, while subsequent messages appeared to ask whether it remained available.
The allegations have not been proven in court.
Earlier Investigation Ended Without Charges
Doe reported the incident to Cornell University Police in November 2024, several weeks after the alleged assault.
The initial investigation did not result in criminal charges.
Van Houten has said that the written statement his office received from university police described some of Doe’s drug use and initial sexual activity as voluntary and consensual.
He said prosecutors who reviewed that material at the time concluded that the facts presented to them did not establish a crime under New York law.
Doe’s lawyer, Thomas P. Giuffra, disputes the suggestion that her account has materially changed.
“The legal complaint is much more detailed and lengthy because I took the time to meet with Ms. Doe multiple times and learn the specific facts of what had occurred,” Giuffra told CNN.
Police Interview Draws New Scrutiny
Further questions emerged over what Doe told Cornell police during interviews conducted after she reported the alleged assault.
A transcript of one interview, reported by CBS affiliate WCBS, quoted Doe explicitly describing what happened to her as rape.
“I can say with 100% confidence I was raped,” she said, according to the transcript.
Van Houten said his office had not received that transcript when prosecutors considered the case in 2024.
“I was not provided the transcript and the specific statement that has been attributed to Doe was not included in the written statement that I received from Cornell PD,” he told CNN.
Cornell has said its police department provided all investigative information to the district attorney’s office.
A university spokesperson said Cornell police “shared all investigatory information” in accordance with established procedures when officers believe a crime may have occurred.
The university did not provide CNN with a detailed explanation resolving the differing accounts over whether the interview transcript had been included.
Doe Described Intoxication and Coercion
A separate six-page statement signed by Doe in November 2024 described her as heavily intoxicated during the encounter.
According to the document obtained by CNN, Doe said she was “pretty ok” with some initial sexual activity but refused other proposals, including a request involving additional participants.
She said she later “finally gave in” after repeatedly being asked to have sex.
“To me that felt like coercion,” she said. “Also, I felt like due to my intoxication, they should have known how intoxicated I was based on how I was slurring my words.”
Doe also described becoming increasingly uncomfortable as the night progressed.
Her lawyer said she was traumatised in the weeks following the encounter and reported it to police after she felt emotionally capable of doing so.
Giuffra has criticised the original law-enforcement investigation, saying Doe was not subsequently interviewed by investigators from the district attorney’s office or by investigators specially trained to interview sexual assault survivors.
Cornell Says Students Faced Disciplinary Action
Cornell conducted a separate Title IX investigation into the allegations.
Doe’s lawyer has said two of the accused students were expelled and that other students received penalties including suspensions, workshops, and written assignments.
Cornell disputes suggestions that students implicated in the case received only minor sanctions.
“None of the individuals charged were offered the opportunity to write essays as a sole consequence of their involvement,” the university said in a statement.
The university has declined to disclose the disciplinary outcome for each student, citing federal privacy protections, but said sanctions in sexual misconduct cases could include suspension or expulsion.
“Any suggestion that the university did not impose consequential punishments for those involved is false,” Cornell said.
The university said a trained panel of faculty and staff heard evidence during a months-long Title IX process.
Cornell also closed the Chi Phi chapter in 2024, and the fraternity remains barred from campus.
Fraternity Says Accused Members Were Removed
The national Chi Phi organisation said its Cornell chapter took action after Doe reported the allegations to police.
Trey Robb, the fraternity’s interim executive director, said the chapter voted unanimously to remove the accused members from its membership rolls three days after Doe filed her police statement.
Chi Phi said it condemned the alleged conduct and had taken measures beyond those required by either Cornell or the law.
It is unclear whether any of the accused men remain students at Cornell.
The civil lawsuit accuses the university of failing to respond adequately to the alleged assault and seeks monetary damages to be determined by a jury.
Cornell has rejected allegations that it failed to hold students accountable and said it would respond to the lawsuit through the legal process.
The reopened criminal investigation is separate from the civil case. Van Houten said a grand jury would review the allegations and determine whether criminal charges should follow.
