A Cornell student’s alleged gang rape was followed by a text in which one accused man criticized his fraternity brothers for what he described as their lack of loyalty, according to a new report.
Matthew Ingalls and six other members of the Chi Phi fraternity are named in a civil lawsuit filed by a woman identified as Jane Doe. She alleges the men raped her while she was incapacitated and unable to consent on October 19, 2024.
According to The New York Times, Jane Doe had attended a Hawaiian-themed party at the fraternity house that evening.
The lawsuit alleges that Ingalls, Jonathan Newell, Winston Lee, Gillio Lopes, Diego Sarabia, Scott Norris and Scott Kretzschmar sexually assaulted her. All seven men have denied wrongdoing, and none has been criminally charged.
In January 2025, Ingalls texted Lopes, writing, “Campus is gonna hate my ass for a while,” before expressing anger at the response from his fraternity brothers.
“Talking about ‘brotherhood’ and then no one except a couple real ones check in, much less acknowledge our existence,” Ingalls wrote, according to the report.
“Dead a** bro,” Lopes replied, according to the outlet. The men were asked to voluntarily provide screenshots of text messages related to the fraternity’s Hawaiian Night event, The New York Times reported.
As the text messages emerged, Diego Sarabia asked a judge to order Jane Doe’s attorney, Thomas Giuffra, to stop discussing the case with reporters, according to court filings reviewed by Our News Outlet.
Matthew Ingalls and six other Chi Phi members are accused in a civil lawsuit filed by a woman identified as Jane Doe, who alleges that she was raped while incapacitated and unable to consent on October 19, 2024, at the fraternity house shown here
According to text messages obtained by The New York Times, Ingalls, pictured, expressed frustration with his fraternity brothers after the allegations emerged
Sarabia’s request, filed Friday, asks the court to restrict Giuffra’s media appearances concerning the lawsuit.
His attorneys described Jane Doe’s public appearances as part of an “orchestrated campaign,” alleging that Giuffra coordinated with reporters before the lawsuit was filed last month, according to the filing.
Sarabia’s lawyers argue that Giuffra’s public comments could influence potential jurors if the case proceeds to trial, court documents state.
Since the lawsuit was filed, Giuffra has spoken with several major media organizations, including CBS, CNN, NBC News and People.
In an interview with Our News Outlet last week, Giuffra said his client stands by her allegations. He also maintained that recently released messages between Jane Doe and the accused men do not indicate that the alleged encounter was consensual.
In those messages, Jane Doe told Newell that “none of the sexual stuff was illegal.” She also referred to the encounter as a “gangbang” and wrote that it was “our body our choice.”
Giuffra said Jane Doe’s statements reflected what he called “classic symptoms of delayed recognition”—a delayed understanding that she may have been the victim of an alleged crime.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: How a 60-Cent Supplement Helped Curb My Wine and Chocolate Cravings
“This is a well-known phenomenon which is widely reported in medical and psychological literature,” the attorney said.
Meanwhile, Diego Sarabia, another man named in the lawsuit, has asked a judge to require Jane Doe’s attorney, Thomas Giuffra, pictured, to stop discussing the case with the media
“Most rape survivors do not immediately identify what happened to them as rape.”
The school launched a monthslong probe into Jane Doe’s allegations. At least 12 formal hearings were held from January to May 2025 and saw faculty and staff review the evidence.
In the end, Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten decided not to file charges against any of the seven men.
Instead, Ingalls and his frat brother Jonathan Newell were both expelled from campus, Jane Doe’s legal filing stated.
Winston Lee and Lopes were suspended and placed on disciplinary probation.
Diego Sarabia, a man who Jane Doe said forcibly kissed her that night, was issued a persona non grata, barring him from campus. He had graduated by the time punishments were handed out.
The final two men, Scott Norris and Scott Kretzschmar, were ordered to take sexual harassment, social media use, and bystander intervention courses. They were also told to write ‘reflection papers,’ according to the lawsuit.
Both of them said they were only in the room with Jane Doe for five minutes, but the alleged victim said that they snorted ketamine off her body, per the suit.
Since the lawsuit, uproar over the case has erupted across campus and the country
Although the case was closed over a year ago, it has since been reopened after Jane Doe took legal action against the school, Chi Phi, the seven men, and others in September.
Tompkins County District Attorney announced that it is looking into the case again, and New York Governor Kathy Hochul has tapped Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor in it.
Since the lawsuit, uproar over the case has erupted across campus and the country.
Several protesters who support Jane Doe have demanded change as they walk around campus, in Washington, DC, New York City, and other places nationwide.
Students have become outraged over the details of the alleged assault and have demanded that the prestigious school reexamine its previous decision.
On Friday, the Cornell Concert Commission, a student-run organization, announced that it has canceled its annual homecoming concert amid the controversy.
CHECK THIS OUT: Sticky Fingers Frontman Dylan Frost and Girlfriend Caught in AVO Dispute
