Former Cornell student linked to fraternity lawsuit planned trip to Thailand

Former Cornell University student Matthew Ingalls told friends in Dubai that he was taking a gap year in Thailand after being expelled following gang rape allegations, the Daily Mail reported. Ingalls is accused in a civil lawsuit of luring a female student to the Chi Phi fraternity house and initiating an attack in 2024. The Daily Mail added that his father, Matthew B. Ingalls, specializes in Islamic law and Sufism, and that the family resides in Dubai's Jumeirah district. [1]

The lawsuit involves an anonymous former student known as Jane Doe, who alleges she was drugged and gang raped by seven fraternity members at the Chi Phi house in 2024. According to the New York Post, accused student Jonathan Newell was officially designated as a sober monitor for the fraternity on October 19, 2024, the night of the alleged incident. The New York Post noted that Jane Doe was also serving as a sober monitor for her own sorority that same night. [3][8]

An anonymous former student filed the civil lawsuit on September 16, 2026, against Cornell University, its Chi Phi chapter, and seven student members, accusing the university of failing to protect her. As FTMQ News reported earlier, Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten decided against filing criminal charges following initial police interviews. Sharia is a traditional body of Islamic religious law based on religious scriptures including the Quran. [7][8][10]

The lawsuit has prompted wider public discussion and political reactions. Representative Nancy Mace posted on social media that the encounter was consensual, according to the New York Post. The ongoing legal case also inspired the season 28 premiere of the television series Law and Order Special Victims Unit, Variety reported. [4][5]