Cornell Fraternity Brothers Claim Alleged Gang Rape Was Consensual, Witness Says Stories Were Aligned

Newly surfaced video footage shows two Chi Phi fraternity brothers at Cornell University telling investigators that an alleged gang rape was between “consenting adults.” The video, obtained by ABC News, also features a student witness who claims fraternity members held a meeting to align their stories after the incident.

One of the fraternity brothers, who is not among the seven individuals named in a lawsuit regarding the alleged assault, stated in an interview, “What people were saying was that there was like multiple consenting adults in the room.”

The interviewing officer questioned the use of the word “consensual,” asking, “I guess how did they know it was consensual?” The second fraternity brother responded, “I mean, I can’t recall exactly what was said, but, yeah, I mean, they — they said that they had sex with her, I guess.”

The alleged assault occurred at a party on the night of Oct. 19, 2024. The lawsuit names seven individuals as defendants.

Another video, also released by ABC News, features an unidentified female student telling police that a meeting took place within the Chi Phi fraternity after news of the alleged assault spread. The student reported that fraternity members were instructed to claim the encounter was consensual.

“This was a consensual orgy… but don’t spread it cause it would be bad for our image,” the student recounted being told.