Cornell Accuser Claims Frat Members Joked About 'Eightsome,' Destroyed Reputation

The Cornell University student who alleges she was gang-raped by members of a fraternity reported that some of the individuals joked about having an "eightsome" with her and expressed distress over her reputation being "destroyed," according to newly revealed documents and text messages.

The accuser, identified as Jane Doe, stated that news of the alleged incident spread across campus, becoming "public knowledge" the day after it occurred on October 20, 2024. In a statement to Cornell Campus Police, she detailed how several fraternity members "were bragging about having an ‘eightsome’ with me."

Text messages collected as part of private Title IX proceedings, obtained by The New York Times, indicate Doe communicated with Matthew Ingalls, one of the fraternity brothers she claims she had an initial threesome with. Doe expressed her distress, writing, "Bro, everyone knows," and that the events were "RUINING my life temporarily" and destroying her reputation.

Ingalls reportedly attempted to console her, noting how quickly "nonsense spreads at this school" and assuring her she had "nothing to be ashamed of."

Doe also instructed her roommate to deny any knowledge of the events if questioned, though her roommate later told The Times that Doe eventually realized the gravity of the situation. A post on a Greek life forum around this time also alleged that the Chi Phi fraternity had engaged in "gang banging" on campus.

Around October 28, 2024, Ingalls allegedly apologized to Doe over the phone. Doe's roommate reportedly overheard her saying, "How could you let this happen?"

Subsequently, the president of the Chi Phi fraternity informed Doe she was uninvited from a Halloween party, citing it was "for her own good." Doe sent another message to Ingalls, expressing her feeling of being disadvantaged as women often "get the short end of the stick" and accusing them of "covering your asses."

On November 3, Doe communicated with another fraternity brother, Jonathan Newell, indicating she concluded that she had been sexually assaulted. She stated, "Let’s be clear that 90% of what happened that night was not consensual." Doe also detailed a memory of being given ketamine and snorting it off Newell's penis "in front of everyone like a sex doll/worker." She concluded the exchange by saying, "I think I’m done talking to you. I know you lied."

Doe sought a rape kit from an Ithaca emergency room on November 7, following a urinary tract infection. She reported the incident to campus police on November 14, with a two-day interview process following. No criminal charges were filed at that time.

The case has garnered national attention following Doe's lawsuit filed last month, which named seven fraternity brothers and Cornell University, among other parties, as defendants. Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten, who has since reopened the investigation, stated that the initial documents received did not contain explicit statements from Doe alleging rape or coercion, which influenced the decision not to press charges initially.

Attorneys for Newell and Ingalls were not immediately available for comment.