Polymarket Removes Cornell Gang-Rape Case Bets After Public Outcry

Polymarket has removed a betting market that allowed users to wager on whether seven Cornell University fraternity members accused in a gang-rape lawsuit would face felony sex-crime charges. The decision came after activists and sexual assault advocates publicly criticized the platform and urged celebrity endorsers, including LeBron James, to cut ties.

More than $450,000 had been traded on the wager before it was taken offline. The market had priced the probability of felony charges against at least one of the men at approximately 28%.

The controversy erupted after the betting market was reported by Front Office Sports. Activists, including attorney Cheyenne Hunt, voiced outrage, calling the market "dehumanizing, disgusting, and dangerous." A petition circulated online, under the banner "No Gambling on Gang Rape!," specifically targeted celebrities who promote Polymarket, urging them to denounce the market and sever their relationships with the company.

Among the prominent figures facing pressure are LeBron James, who reportedly earns $15 million annually from his endorsement deal with Polymarket. Other celebrity endorsers include former NFL stars Eli Manning and Derek Jeter, supermodel Emily Ratajkowski, and actress Alexandra Daddario.

The advocacy group I Have The Right To also condemned the wager, questioning the culture that would allow speculation on sexual violence as an opportunity for profit. Critics argued that such markets could create financial incentives for individuals with influence over a case to interfere with legal proceedings, though no evidence of such interference in the Cornell investigation has been presented.

Polymarket defended its decision to offer the contract, stating that prediction markets provide valuable, objective, data-driven insights into how major events progress through the legal system. A company spokesperson also suggested that such markets can bring greater transparency and public attention to issues like sexual assault on college campuses.

However, experts like Alex Goldenberg, a senior fellow at Rutgers University’s Miller Center for Community Protection and Resilience, noted that these platforms can create financial incentives for those with inside knowledge of a case. Goldenberg advised that celebrity endorsers should be aware of the categories offered by such platforms and have exit strategies when lines are crossed.

The betting market was tied to a civil lawsuit filed in September, alleging that seven members of Cornell’s Chi Phi fraternity sexually assaulted a female student in October 2024. The lawsuit, which names the university and several organizations as defendants, accuses them of failing to protect the student. The allegations have not been proven in court. The Tompkins County district attorney’s office has reopened an investigation into the matter after initially declining to bring criminal charges in 2024.