‘Cornell 7’ frat brother turns the accusation around and alleges that ‘Jane Doe’ was the one who actually assaulted him
He reportedly said he is a victim.
Cornell University is facing heavy scrutiny as seven members of the Chi Phi fraternity, dubbed the “Cornell 7,” were accused of taking part in the alleged drugging and gang rape of “Jane Doe” in 2024. The seven men named as defendants in the lawsuit have since denied the serious allegations as details on the incident continue to surface. In particular, one of the accused turned the accusation around and alleged that he was a victim in the assault.
Chi Phi fraternity brother Matthew Ingalls, one of the men at the center of the sexual assault scandal that had launched public outcry, was said to be the person who invited Jane Doe over to the frat house. He allegedly propositioned her to a threesome, which later escalated to several other Chi Phi members supposedly taking turns having sexual relations with her.
Ingalls was reportedly the frat brother who told the fraternity’s Snapchat group chat that contained 57 people, called “Chi Phi Actives,” to “come whip it out” after another brother announced that there was “free p****,” referring to Jane Doe. He reiterated in another message that “you can walk in and whip it out,” according to messages obtained by ABC News.
Ingalls claims he was too drunk to consent
In a surprising twist, however, Ingalls reportedly suggested to Cornell University police that he was the one who was sexually assaulted by Jane Doe that very same night. Ingalls claimed that he was too intoxicated after consuming alcohol and ketamine to be able to properly consent to engaging in any sexual activities with Jane Doe. On the other hand, Jane Doe accused the seven men of rendering her incapable of giving consent after encouraging her to drink alcohol and take ketamine.
The NY Post reported that the Tompkins County District Attorney’s Office documents alleged that Ingalls dozed off during the sexual encounter while another fraternity member took his place. When he woke up, Ingalls supposedly rejoined the night’s debauchery.
Ingalls’ claims only further complicated an already confusing case. In recent days, the release of several text messages and recorded calls between Jane Doe and the defendants revealed conflicting accounts. Jane Doe herself initially assured Ingalls that their night together was consensual before accusing him and the other members of gang rape.
The recordings suggest that the shift was triggered by rumors about her spreading on campus. Other students allegedly floated the idea that she had been gang raped before she agreed that was what happened to her. She later confronted Ingalls before making an official report to Cornell University police.
“The only way for me to heal is to know what happened,” Jane Doe told Ingalls in a phone call a day before filing the report. “That’s why I’m trying to just piece it together, you know, like I’m just like confused.”
There are conflicting statements in ‘Cornell 7’ case
Jane Doe later sent more texts to Ingalls, obtained by ABC News: “I will also say this is f****** RUINING my life temporarily. My reputation is destroyed and I’m utterly ashamed. I’m f****** pissed cause this many people shouldn’t know and I feel like I know who some of the rats in the room were.”
Ingalls reportedly responded to Jane Doe, saying, “You did tell me you were sober, by the way. […] You did, you said you hadn’t been anywhere,” while Jane Doe disagreed, saying she “never would have said that.”
When Jane Doe talked to Cornell University police, she claimed to be “100% confident I was raped.” On the other hand, Ingalls’ text messages to Jane Doe do not mention the Snapchat messages he allegedly sent to Chi Phi Actives.
So far, Ingalls and the six other men accused in the lawsuit were merely given a slap on the wrist and haven’t been criminally charged, after Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten previously cited a lack of evidence to open a case. Van Houten reopened the case last month after Jane Doe filed the lawsuit, claiming that new details had emerged that were not previously included.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul stripped Van Houten of the case and appointed Attorney General Letitia James to lead instead. Nevertheless, the public at large is keeping a close eye on how the case unfolds, and with James as the special prosecutor, the case is expected to go in a different direction.
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