Cornell Fraternity Brother Claims Accuser Said She Was Sober During Alleged Gang Rape
Audio released from a call between the accuser and Matthew Ingalls appears to show him attempting to cast doubt on her memory of the night.
One of the fraternity members involved in an alleged gang rape at Cornell University claimed in a phone call with the accuser that she had told him she was sober on the night of the incident. The audio recording of the call, obtained by ABC News, captured Matthew Ingalls, one of the seven students accused, appearing to question the accuser's recollection of events.
The accuser, identified in court documents as Jane Doe, reported to Cornell University campus police on November 8, 2024, that she had been gang-raped the previous night at the Chi Phi fraternity house. During the November 7 phone call with Ingalls, she stated she was trying to piece together what happened due to the "damage on my body and brain" that resulted from the alleged assault.
Doe told Ingalls that she was "100% sure" she had informed him she had been at a sorority event at a bar earlier that evening and that she "never" lies. She questioned how the subsequent encounter initiated at the fraternity house, which she described as a threesome involving herself, Ingalls, and another fraternity brother.
Ingalls's account of the evening differed, with him stating, "You want me to give my recollection of the entire night?" He also told Doe, "You did tell me you were sober, by the way. You did, you said you hadn't been anywhere."
Doe asserted that what they did would be "classified as gang rape" and accused Ingalls of knowing she had consumed a significant amount of alcohol upon her arrival at the frat house.
Ingalls reportedly sent a Snapchat message to a fraternity group chat showing a picture of Doe and suggesting others could "walk in and whip it out." He later reportedly told campus police that he was too intoxicated to consent to sex that night, implying he was the victim of sexual assault.
The initial police investigation led to the expulsion of two fraternity brothers, including Ingalls, and suspensions for two others. No criminal charges have been filed against any of the students involved.
The case gained broader attention when Doe filed a civil lawsuit naming all seven accused students. Following the lawsuit, the Tompkins County District Attorney's office announced it would reopen the investigation into the alleged incident, citing new information presented in the lawsuit.
Ingalls has not publicly released details of his legal representation.