A Penn State fraternity member accused of operating a cocaine distribution scheme out of his fraternity house was allegedly undone by a simple digital trail: Venmo payments sent under his own name.
Authorities began looking into Thomas Robinson, now 23, after an informant claimed that a man known as “T-Rob” was selling large quantities of cocaine from the Delta Upsilon fraternity house in State College, Pennsylvania, according to court documents reviewed by NBC News.
The informant also told investigators that the alleged campus dealer was taking payments through a Venmo account with the username “Tom-Robinson,” according to the 2024 court filings.
Investigators later searched a database for “Tom Robinson,” which led them to a “Thomas Robinson” listed at the Delta Upsilon fraternity house address, NBC News reported.
When law enforcement officers raided the fraternity house in December 2024, Robinson allegedly resisted arrest and initially believed the officers were fraternity brothers pulling a prank, the complaint said.
Penn State said this week that Delta Upsilon has been placed on interim suspension while the investigation continues. The university also noted that Sigma Chi operates outside Penn State’s oversight.
“We are horrified by these serious allegations against current and former students,” Andrea Dowhower, Penn State’s vice president for student affairs, said in a statement.
