Cornell Gang Rape: Fraternity Text Messages Related To Investigation Revealed As Mayor Shuts Down Event Permits

It’s easy to imagine that the seven members of Cornell University’s Chi Pi fraternity thought all of their troubles had faded away to obscurity after they were accused of drugging and gang-raping a female student for several hours in October 2024. 

Since authorities had reportedly declined to press any charges after the alleged rape was reported the following month, they likely thought they were safe, not just from prosecution, but from public scrutiny and outrage. Well, that changed this month after the alleged victim, identified only as Jane Doe, filed a civil complaint against the accused, the university, her sorority and the fraternity. 

The lawsuit drew national attention to the alleged gang rape, prompted New York prosecutors to reopen an investigation into the incident, and put all seven members of the fraternity under the white-hot spotlight of public opinion. It has also resulted in new details emerging, including text messages exchanged by the accused that are, well, damning to say the absolute least.

As we previously reported, Jane Doe alleges that she had been drinking at her sorority house and a bar before she arrived at the Chi Phi house to visit a friend on Oct. 19, 2024. She says a friend and another fraternity member gave her more alcohol and pressured her into snorting ketamine, leaving her helpless to stop sexual activity that she was rendered “incapable of consenting” to. The lawsuit also alleges that one of her rapists sent a message to the fraternity’s Snapchat group chat, “Chi Phi Actives,” stating there was “free p—y” upstairs.

CBS New York has obtained video of more messages allegedly sent by fraternity members, one of which asks, “Shop still open?” to which another person responded, “Yea.”

Other text messages reportedly show one of the accused apologizing to Doe  for “how things went down,” saying he should have “shut it down and kick people out before it got way out of hand.” Doe reportedly responded by telling him her memory was “super clouded too” and said, “non[e] of the sexual stuff was illegal,” which rape apologists would certainly cite as evidence that she consented to what happened to her, because rape apologists don’t tend to understand the effects of sexual trauma, and are only ever interested in absolving the accused.

Because, see, environments like these are where it all starts.

Again, assuming Jane Doe’s allegations are true, these men thought they got away with sexual violence until the lawsuit was filed, the public became aware of the case, and the investigation was reopened. They might have gone on with the rest of their lives without receiving any meaningful discipline whatsoever. They might have gone on to become elected officials — maybe even president. They might have been placed in positions of power, where they can take advantage of the vulnerable just because they can, and because they were never taught that these actions had consequences.

To be sure, none of the accused have faced real consequences as of yet. According to TMZ, one of the accused fraternity members, Diego Sarabia, lost his position at the Charlotte, N.C., bank branch of Wells Fargo following the reopening of the investigation, but that would hardly be an appropriate consequence for taking part in a gang rape.

According to WSYR-TV, Ithaca Mayor Robert Cantelmo has paused all “special event permits” for Cornell University while the investigation is ongoing.

“Despite the severity of these crimes, Cornell University administrators and police failed to contact or coordinate any response with the Ithaca Police Department,” Cantelmo said in a statement, accusing the university of what he described as an  “appalling response.”

But, again, are these consequences, or are authorities simply covering themselves amid an intense public outcry for accountability? And if Jane Doe had simply given up on justice and opted not to file her lawsuit, would this not have just been another rape case swept under the proverbial rug in a patriarchal society that has been conditioned to dismiss victims?

We know the answer to that last question at least. A lot of apologists are invested in their belief that the “me too” movement came from nothing. It didn’t. It’s the beginning of a reckoning that is still manifesting itself far too slowly, which is why rapists aren’t getting the message. That needs to change, and hopefully cases like the one Cornell and Chi Pi are facing now will help move that change along.

It’s long overdue. 

SEE ALSO:

Prosecutors Reopen Investigation Into Gang Rape Allegations At Cornell

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