Cornell Police Investigated Tip Alleging Fraternity Cover-Up of Rape

Cornell University police received an anonymous tip alleging that the Chi Phi fraternity attempted to conceal a reported rape, according to school records reviewed by ABC News. The tip came one day after a campus-wide alert notified students of the alleged incident in 2024. The anonymous caller stated that Chi Phi leadership instructed a potential witness to stay quiet, fearing that "the reputation of all involved and the frat would be ruined" if details emerged.

In the days following the alert, Cornell investigators began questioning witnesses about a potential cover-up within the fraternity. One female student told investigators that Chi Phi held a meeting to align members' accounts of the incident, noting that group messages discussed the situation. She added that fraternity members referred to the event as a "consensual orgy" but expressed concern about its impact on their "image."

The undergraduate student, identified as Jane Doe, initially filed a complaint with campus police in November 2024, three weeks after the alleged assault occurred. She reported being raped by eight to ten men at the Chi Phi fraternity house.

The case has prompted discussions about the handling of alleged sexual assaults on college campuses nationwide.

Cornell police interviewed at least two fraternity members in 2024 regarding the incident and internal communications. One member stated that the incident was only mentioned informally during a regular chapter meeting, alongside other routine discussions.

Text messages reviewed by ABC News appear to show fraternity members attempting to manage the fallout after Cornell suspended the chapter. The fraternity's president messaged a member, Matthew Ingalls, who had invited Jane Doe to the house, asking about his last contact with her and the "plan of action."

Ingalls, who has not been charged, denied wrongdoing and later told investigators he was too intoxicated to consent and portrayed himself as a victim. In an email to Cornell's Title IX investigator in February 2025, Ingalls accused the university of "entrapment" and suggested he might file a complaint against Jane Doe, alleging gender discrimination in the investigation process.

Jane Doe has filed a civil lawsuit, and New York Attorney General Letitia James is also conducting an investigation into the matter. The seven fraternity members accused in the case have denied all allegations.