Accused Cornell Chi Phi fraternity members allegedly shared a Snapchat photo of a woman on the night she says she was sexually assaulted by multiple men at the fraternity house, according to images obtained by CNN.
The Snapchat chain, titled “Chi Phi Actives”, reportedly shows a photograph of Jane Doe in a room at the house while messages were being exchanged. The alleged incident took place at a party in October 2024.
Messages in the chain are said to include one member writing “laying rn”. Others allegedly asked: “are you guys at least naked?” and wrote: “Like you can walk in and whip it out rn.”
A source close to the case told CNN that the messages raised questions about whether further photographs or videos might have been recovered through a more thorough criminal investigation.
Investigation into alleged Cornell sexual assault reopened
Jane Doe filed a civil lawsuit last month against Cornell University, Chi Phi and seven fraternity members. She alleges she was pressured to take drugs, including ketamine, before being sexually assaulted by several men at the fraternity house.
The Tompkins County District Attorney’s Office initially declined to bring criminal charges after reviewing the case. Prosecutors reopened the investigation last week after examining the allegations and evidence included in the civil lawsuit.
Doe’s attorney has accused investigators of failing to pursue evidence and witnesses fully. The district attorney’s office has said the allegations in the civil complaint differed significantly from Doe’s original statement to police.
Cornell has said it supports the renewed investigation. The university also said the Chi Phi chapter was closed in 2024 and remains barred from campus.
Some of the fraternity members named in the lawsuit have denied the allegations through their attorneys.
