Fraternity Brothers Claim Alleged Rape at Cornell Was Consensual, Video Shows
Newly unearthed video reveals fraternity members told investigators that the alleged gang rape, which led to a lawsuit and the shutdown of the Chi Phi chapter, involved consenting adults.
Two members of the now-defunct Chi Phi fraternity at Cornell University told investigators that an alleged gang rape, detailed in a recent lawsuit, was consensual, according to newly unearthed video.
The lawsuit, filed by a plaintiff identified as Jane Doe, alleges she was sexually assaulted by multiple fraternity members two years ago. Doe claims she was incapacitated by alcohol and drugs and that the assault occurred at the Chi Phi fraternity house on October 19, 2024, continuing until approximately 5:45 a.m.
In a taped interview with investigators obtained by ABC News, two fraternity brothers, whose identities were obscured and names withheld, stated that the encounters were between "consenting adults." One brother said, "What people were saying was that there was like multiple consenting adults in this room."
A second brother echoed this sentiment, stating, "There was consensual act that took place." When pressed by the investigating officer on how they knew the activity was consensual, he added, "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."
These two brothers were not named in Jane Doe's lawsuit and are not accused of any wrongdoing.
Maze Ingalls, another fraternity brother, has claimed he was the one sexually assaulted, stating he was too intoxicated to consent. In an email to Cornell's Title IX investigator in February 2025, Ingalls accused the university of "entrapment" and indicated he would file his own complaint against Jane Doe.
Jane Doe reported the alleged assault to Cornell police in November 2024, three weeks after the incident. Campus police investigated and forwarded their findings to the district attorney's office, which decided against filing criminal charges. Cornell University conducted a separate Title IX investigation.
No criminal charges have been filed. The university has stated that some students were expelled and others suspended following the incident, and the Chi Phi chapter was shut down. The accused men have reportedly denied participation or asserted that any sexual activity was consensual.