Brief
Cornell frat lawyer says members met to conceal alleged gang rape
The accuser’s lawyer says the fraternity coordinated a “conspiracy of silence” after the assault was reported to campus police.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Attorney Thomas Giuffra, representing a student identified as Jane Doe, told CNN’s Anderson Cooper that the Phi Chi fraternity at Cornell University held emergency meetings to coordinate a cover‑up of a drug‑ging and gang‑rape allegation made in October 2024.
What happened
Doe reported the alleged assault to campus police after discovering a group chat in which fraternity members allegedly bragged about the incident. According to Giuffra, the fraternity’s leadership then convened a series of meetings, including an “emergency” session, to decide how to manage the fallout and keep the matter from reaching authorities.
What the reports add
Giuffra said the meetings involved 57 fraternity members who were part of a group chat, and that only the person who leaked the information to Doe acted against the plan. He added that the fraternity tried to reframe the assault as a “consensual orgy” in documents first reported by ABC News.
What was said
"The whole fraternity had meetings to try and cover this up and to be part of the conspiracy of silence," Giuffra told Cooper, as reported by the New York Post. "Nobody walked out of those meetings and said, ‘Hey this is wrong, we’re going to the police.’ All they were interested in was protecting their fraternity brothers and keeping it as business as usual," he added.
How it came about
The allegations stem from an October 2024 incident at the Phi Chi house. Doe filed a police report after seeing incriminating messages, leading to a 101‑page civil lawsuit filed in September 2026. The case has prompted a special prosecutor appointment and an independent university review, as covered in earlier Felo News articles.
Key facts
- Attorney Thomas Giuffra says Phi Chi fraternity held emergency meetings to cover up the alleged assault. (nypost.com)
- The alleged assault occurred at the fraternity house in October 2024. (nypost.com)
- Giuffra claims 57 fraternity members were in a group chat about the incident. (nypost.com)
- Documents suggest the fraternity tried to portray the assault as a consensual orgy. (nypost.com)
- Jane Doe filed a police report after discovering the incriminating messages. (nypost.com)
Sources
- [1] nypost.com — originally reported as “Cornell 7 accuser’s lawyer claims frat bros ‘had meetings’ to cover up gang-rape allegations: ‘Conspiracy of silence’”
