A man from south-east Michigan has been named in a civil lawsuit accusing seven Cornell University fraternity members of sexually assaulting a woman at a house in New York in October 2024.
Scott Kretzschmar, from Casco Township in St Clair County, is one of seven men accused in the case, which was filed by a former Cornell student identified only as Jane Doe. The allegations have not been tested in court and no criminal charges have been brought against the men.
The lawsuit names Cornell University, the Chi Phi fraternity, Tri Delta organisations, an Ithaca nightclub and several individual students. It alleges that the woman was pressured to take ketamine, smoke marijuana and drink alcohol before she became incapable of consenting to sexual activity.
Cornell fraternity rape allegations
The alleged assault is said to have taken place at Cornell’s Chi Phi house after the woman had attended an event and visited friends. She reported the incident to Cornell University Police in 2024, but prosecutors did not initially pursue charges.
Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten said on 28 September that his office had reopened its investigation after reviewing the claims made in the civil lawsuit. He said the case could be presented to a grand jury if prosecutors determine that criminal charges are appropriate. ([weos.org](https://www.weos.org/2026-09-28/tompkins-county-da-to-reopen-suspected-case-of-gang-rape-after-victim-files-lawsuit?utm_source=openai))
Mr Van Houten has said the woman’s account to police in 2024 differed significantly from the allegations in the lawsuit. Her lawyer has disputed that characterisation and accused investigators of failing to follow up properly on her claims. ([www-cdn.abcnews.com](https://www-cdn.abcnews.com/US/da-defends-decision-prosecute-alleged-cornell-gang-rape/story?id=136835936&utm_source=openai))
Cornell has said it carried out a separate Title IX investigation and imposed a range of sanctions, including expulsions and suspensions. The university said no student was given essay-writing as the sole punishment, following reports that this had been the only consequence faced by some of those involved. ([cornellsun.com](https://www.cornellsun.com/article/2026/09/cornell-denies-that-defendants-in-alleged-chi-phi-gang-rape-only-wrote-essays-confirms-expulsions?utm_source=openai))
The seven men named in the lawsuit are Matthew Ingalls, Jonathan Newell, Winston Lee, Gillio Lopes, Diego Sarabia, Scott Norris and Scott Kretzschmar.
Kretzschmar played American football for Marine City High School, according to a 2021 report by the Port Huron Times Herald. A search of records cited in local reporting identified a former address in Casco Township matching his age and other details.
The lawsuit seeks damages from the individual defendants and the organisations accused of failing to protect the woman. The allegations remain unproven, and the reopening of the criminal investigation does not mean charges have been filed.
