Ithaca Bar Denies Serving Alcohol to Underage Accuser in Cornell Rape Lawsuit

Moonies Bar & Nightclub, a bar named in a lawsuit at the center of a sexual assault controversy at Cornell University, has denied the accuser's claim that it served her alcohol while she was underage on the night of the alleged assault. The bar has lodged this denial in a court filing.

The lawsuit alleges that a bouncer at Moonies placed an "X" on the then-20-year-old accuser's hand to indicate she was under 21, but that she was still served and consumed at least one alcoholic beverage inside the establishment. Moonies disputes this account, stating that underage guests at the private Tri Delta sorority event on Oct. 19, 2024, were marked on their hands, while those over 21 received wristbands. The bar maintains that its bartenders only served alcohol to individuals with wristbands.

In a statement to Fox News, Moonies said, "No alcohol was served to anyone who had mark on their hands." The bar also stated that the accuser worked for the company from February to March 2025 and did not mention being intoxicated or served alcohol at Moonies during that period.

In its formal answer filed in New York Supreme Court, Zareen Enterprises LLC, doing business as Moonies Bar & Nightclub, denied unlawfully selling or furnishing alcohol to anyone under the legal drinking age or to any visibly intoxicated person. The filing specifically refutes the paragraph of the accuser's complaint that claims she was served alcohol at Moonies despite being marked as underage. Moonies further denied that any action or inaction on its part contributed to the accuser's alleged injuries and requested the court dismiss the complaint against it.

The case has generated significant attention, with thousands rallying on campus and faculty senators initiating a no-confidence resolution against the university administration. New York Governor Kathy Hochul has appointed the New York Attorney General's Office as special prosecutor to conduct an active criminal investigation.

Moonies stated that approximately 185 guests attended the private Tri Delta event, with about 150 over 21 and 35 underage. The bar asserted that its employees "strictly followed the rules and did not serve alcohol to any underaged guests."

The dispute centers on the accuser's account of the hours leading up to the alleged assault. According to her lawsuit, she began her evening drinking vodka at her sorority house before going to Moonies. She later visited another bar before leaving alone around 11 p.m. and heading to the Chi Phi fraternity house to meet a friend. By the time she arrived at Chi Phi, the lawsuit states she was visibly intoxicated, having consumed approximately 10 standard drinks over three hours.

At the Chi Phi house, the accuser alleges she was given another beer before being pressured into snorting what she was told was ketamine, along with marijuana and high-proof liquor, before sexual activity began. She claims she became incapacitated and alleges seven former Chi Phi fraternity brothers are responsible for sexual assault and rape. The fraternity members have denied wrongdoing, and no criminal charges have been filed against them.

The lawsuit, filed Sept. 16, also names Cornell University, Chi Phi, Tri Delta, and Moonies as defendants, alleging institutional failures to protect her.

Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten initially stated that the information his office received from Cornell University Police did not allege the accuser was drugged or gang-raped, but rather described her involvement in drug use and sexual conduct as voluntary. However, a transcript of the accuser's police interviews later obtained by CBS New York included statements where she distinguished initial sexual encounters from later events and explicitly told investigators she had been raped. Van Houten stated his office had not received that transcript.