Cornell President Michael Kotlikoff Vows Investigation After Jane Doe Gang-Rape Allegations

Cornell case reopened

Cornell University President Michael Kotlikoff said the alleged 2024 assault of Jane Doe was “deeply disturbing” and pledged that “You have my commitment that this will not be a moment that passes.”

Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten said his office at the time did not independently investigate the case when it declined to bring charges, and New York Governor Kathy Hochul removed the local DA from the case and named state Attorney General Letitia James to take over the criminal investigation.

ABC News reported that Jane Doe told Cornell police on Nov. 8 that the incident had become a “gang rape,” and ABC News said Cornell’s internal investigation began in November 2024 and lasted through May 2025.

Cornell Police began investigating the incident in November 2024, memorializing the first report as: "A female undergraduate student reported that she was recently raped by 8-10 men at the Chi Phi fraternity house."

A civil lawsuit filed by Jane Doe alleged she was gang-raped by seven male students at the Chi Phi fraternity house and that Cornell failed to protect her when she reported what happened to Cornell police three weeks later.

Reporting for this sectionDemocracy Now!ABC News

‘Damage control’ messages

Some fraternity brothers accused of sexual assault at Cornell attempted to contain the allegations in the weeks following the incident, using text messages and phone calls reviewed by the outlet. Jane Doe told one of her alleged attackers, Matthew Ingalls, “The only way for me to heal is to know what happened,” in a recording obtained by ABC News. ABC News said a Cornell investigation resulted in two men being expelled while others were suspended, and it said Cornell Police began investigating the incident in November 2024.

Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten admitted his office at the time did not independently investigate the case when it declined to bring charges, and the DA reopened the case after the allegations drew national attention. A group chat included a brother writing “F—-,” and the fraternity president asking, “Should I call [Jane]?”

Reporting for this sectionABC News

Accountability and next steps

Cornell University said it would welcome an independent review by an external law firm, and Al-Arabi Al-Jadeed quoted Kotlikoff saying, “in conjunction with our Board of Trustees, I welcome the independent review to be conducted by an external law firm to examine all aspects of how Cornell University dealt with the 2024 case.”

Kotlikoff vows probe3 of 3 outlets reported it▾

Kotlikoff told audiences Cornell’s Board of Trustees would announce next week which outside law firm would conduct the independent review, and Hochul appointed Letitia James as special prosecutor on Oct. 1.

Hochul appointed James as special prosecutor after newly released information undermined her confidence in the local prosecutor, and Hochul pledged she would “not allow anyone to sweep this case under the rug”.

James appointed special prosecutor6 of 6 outlets reported it▾

Cornell defended its investigation and said it closed the fraternity chapter involved and barred the group from campus, while it also described how the case reached a breaking point when Hochul stepped in to appoint a new special prosecutor.

Kotlikoff said Cornell would take “a serious look at the role of fraternities and sororities in campus life,” and the university would seek input from students, alumni, and other community members about preserving Greek life while strengthening individual accountability.

Reporting for this sectionAl-Arabi Al-JadeedAl Jazeera