The story so far
written Oct 3What is happening
New York State Attorney General Letitia James is leading a criminal investigation into allegations of a 2024 drugging and gang rape at the Cornell University Chi Phi fraternity [2][6]. The outcome of this probe determines whether criminal charges will be filed against seven former students who are also named in a civil lawsuit related to the October 2024 incident [2][3]. Governor Kathy Hochul appointed the special prosecutor through an executive order that removed the local district attorney from the case [4][5]. Cornell University issued a statement on September 28, 2026, supporting a review of the allegations [12].
What to watch
A charging decision or a dismissal of the case by the New York County District Attorney’s Office would conclude the criminal investigation. The publication of a final Title IX investigation report by Cornell University would establish the institution's internal findings. A final settlement or court judgment would resolve the pending civil litigation. Cornell University adopting or amending its Title IX policy would indicate a formal response to the investigation's findings.
Read the full brief · how we got here
How we got here
The criminal probe reopened after investigators obtained a transcript of the initial 2024 interview between the complainant and campus police [8]. Public criticism of the initial handling of the case led to the removal of the local prosecutor [4][5]. Internal university data shows Cornell averages fewer than two expulsions per year for sexual offenses, despite one-third of undergraduate women reporting sexual assault [9].
References · 8
- [2]foxnews.com — Cornell Chi Phi rape case gets special prosecutor after Hochul order ...
- [3]snopes.com — What has happened to 'Cornell 7' after lawsuit accused them of rape?
- [4]yahoo.com — Cornell rape case: New York governor removes DA from investigation ...
- [5]cnn.com — Special prosecutor takes over Cornell alleged gang rape ... - CNN
- [6]npr.org — The Cornell University rape case: The latest updates : NPR
- [8]cnn.com — Cornell: What Jane Doe told investigators in 2024 prompts fresh ... - CNN
- [9]usatoday.com — At Cornell, hundreds of sex assaults, few expelled | Exclusive
- [12]statements.cornell.edu — District Attorney's investigation of 2024 sexual assault allegations
What would close this
0 of 4 metTimeline
newest firstWhen we started following: New York Attorney General takes over Cornell fraternity sexual assault probe following executive order
New York Governor Kathy Hochul appointed State Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor to investigate allegations of a 2024 drugging and gang rape at the Cornell University Chi Phi fraternity [2][6]. The executive order removes the local district attorney from the case following public criticism of the initial investigation [4][5]. Seven former students face a civil lawsuit related to the October 2024 incident [2][3]. Cornell University issued a statement supporting the district attorney's review of the allegations on September 28, 2026 [12]. Internal university data indicates that while one-third of undergraduate women report sexual assault, Cornell averages fewer than two expulsions per year for such offenses [9]. A transcript of the initial 2024 interview between the complainant and campus police has been obtained by investigators as the criminal probe reopens [8].