Expelled Cornell Fraternity Brother Claims Drunkenness Hindered Assault, Suggests Victim Assaulted Him

Matthew Ingalls, one of the former Cornell University fraternity brothers accused in an alleged gang rape, has claimed he was too intoxicated to commit the assault and suggested the accuser, identified as Jane Doe, may have assaulted him. Ingalls was among seven students suspended from the university following the incident on October 19, 2024, at the Chi Phi fraternity house, where Doe alleges she was drugged and sexually assaulted.

University police records obtained by ABC News indicate Ingalls told investigators he was too intoxicated to consent to sexual intercourse. He further suggested that Jane Doe might have been the aggressor.

However, audio recordings of calls between Ingalls and Jane Doe reveal conflicting accounts. In one call, Ingalls insisted, "You did tell me you were sober, by the way." Doe countered, stating Ingalls knew she had consumed a significant amount of alcohol, telling him, "you already knew I was 10 shots deep."

Jane Doe recounted to Ingalls that she had to seek emergency medical treatment and therapy due to injuries sustained during the alleged assault. She described experiencing "so much damage on my body and my brain."

Ingalls' recollection of the events in his call with Doe described an interaction that began with dancing, followed by a proposition for a threesome, which Doe accepted. He stated he found another man from the dance floor to join them before they went upstairs. Doe alleged that additional Chi Phi fraternity brothers joined them periodically during the encounter, with a civil lawsuit claiming they advertised "free p***y" in a Snapchat group chat. Doe stated she recalled four men in a bed at one point, with others present. Ingalls responded to this by suggesting that both of them might remember the events differently and that his memory might not be accurate.

The lawsuit further alleges that Ingalls posted a photo of Jane Doe to the fraternity's group chat during the alleged assault with the caption, "Boys come whip it out." Jane Doe claims in her lawsuit that seven men eventually participated in the assault, during which she became incapacitated and lost consciousness around 5:45 a.m.

Jane Doe reported the allegations to Cornell University Police on November 8, after encouragement from friends. The university temporarily suspended the fraternity and seven students the same day. The lawsuit states that only Ingalls and one other student were expelled, while the others were reportedly assigned essays. Jane Doe subsequently withdrew from the university.

Alongside Ingalls, the other Chi Phi fraternity brothers named in Jane Doe's civil lawsuit are Jonathan Newell, Winston Lee, Gillio Lopes, Diego Sarabia, Scott Norris, and Scott Kretzschmar. All have denied any wrongdoing. The Tompkins County District Attorney's Office cited insufficient evidence, and no criminal charges have been filed.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul has requested Attorney General Letitia James to lead a renewed criminal investigation. Prior to this request, James had publicly expressed solidarity with survivors of sexual assault, stating on Facebook, "What this young woman has been forced to endure is horrific and unacceptable. To her, and to all survivors: You're not alone. We stand with you."

Attorneys representing one of the defendants have raised concerns about James's prior public statements, suggesting they could compromise the impartiality of a new investigation. Andrew Miltenberg, representing Gillio Lopes, told Fox News that while expressing compassion is appropriate, appearing to accept the factual premise of an allegation before an investigation is problematic. Miltenberg suggested that a different prosecutor who has not commented on the case should handle the investigation to strengthen its credibility.