Seven former Cornell University fraternity members have faced different university punishments after a student accused them of rape at the Chi Phi fraternity house in October 2024.
The men involved are Matthew Ingalls, Jonathan Newell, Winston Lee, Gillio Lopes, Diego Sarabia, Scott Norris and Scott Kretzschmar.
Two were expelled, two were suspended and the others received lesser penalties, according to discipline summaries obtained by The New York Times .
Winston Lee was suspended for two years and will face disciplinary probation for several semesters after returning. Gillio Lopes received a three-semester suspension and two years of probation. Both were also ordered not to contact Jane Doe. Jane Doe had accused Lee of sexual misconduct involving ketamine and forced oral sex. She accused Lopes of having sex with her without her consent. Their lawyers did not respond to The New York Times’ requests for comment. Diego Sarabia had already graduated when Cornell’s disciplinary process ended. He was given a three-year campus ban, known as a persona non grata order. Jane Doe had accused him of forcibly kissing her. Scott Norris and Scott Kretzschmar were not expelled or suspended. Cornell ordered both men not to contact Jane Doe and required them to study sexual harassment, social media use and bystander intervention. They also had to write reflection papers. Kretzschmar was found responsible for a lesser offense called attempted sexual exploitation, rather than sexual assault. The men were among seven fraternity members named in Jane Doe’s civil lawsuit. All seven have denied wrongdoing.
Cornell required them to complete sexual harassment education and write reflection papers, according to the discipline summaries. His lawyer, Jeremy Saland, said he was “never accused of, nor found responsible for, rape. “He was not even present during any sexual activity,” Saland said.
The men have denied wrongdoing, and no criminal charges were filed after the 2024 investigation. Matthew Ingalls and Jonathan Newell received the strongest punishment, according to The New York Times report published October 3. No one was charged in 2024, but the investigation was reopened in September 2026.
The criminal case has now been reopened, with New York Attorney General Letitia James appointed special prosecutor. Cornell found Ingalls responsible for sexual assault. Newell was also expelled. Both men have denied wrongdoing. The accusations are part of a wider case that has now returned to the criminal justice system. The case is now moving forward under a new criminal investigation. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul appointed Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor after renewed questions about how the original investigation was handled. Cornell has also agreed to an independent review.
The university said his actions involved manipulating and putting Jane Doe at risk for his own benefit and the entertainment of others. Jane Doe accused him of sexually assaulting her and said he encouraged other fraternity members to enter the room through a Snapchat message. Newell did not respond to requests for comment, while Ingalls’ lawyer declined to comment, according to The New York Times.
