2026.10.04. The Fair Economy — Local prosecutors have begun a renewed investigation into the alleged group sexual assault case at the Ivy League Cornell University, which includes a Korean-American student with the surname Lee as a perpetrator.
Reuters, the New York Times and other foreign media reported that New York Governor Kathy Hochul appointed New York Attorney General Letitia James, who also serves as the state’s top prosecutor, as a special prosecutor to lead the investigation. Accordingly, the Tompkins County District Attorney’s office is also joining the renewed probe.
The incident occurred in October 2024 at the Cornell male student social club Chi Phi. The female victim said she was heavily intoxicated by alcohol and drugs and was unable to move, and was subjected to a group sexual assault.
Early in the case, there were accusations of a botched investigation. Although the victim testified to the campus police that she was “100% certain it was sexual assault,” key details were omitted from the statements forwarded to the prosecutor, resulting in a decision not to file charges.
Last month, the female victim filed a civil lawsuit against Cornell and the seven men identified as perpetrators. Following the lawsuit, the severity of the case became apparent, prompting New York State authorities to decide to resume the investigation.
Cornell President Michael Kotlikoff pledged to strengthen transparency and accountability in a video message. He said he strongly supports an external law firm's fact-finding review and the special prosecutor's decision to investigate.
Governor Hochul mentioned a legal loophole that makes it difficult to prosecute perpetrators if the victim voluntarily consumed alcohol or drugs to the point of intoxication. She expressed her intention to amend the law to address this issue.
Prosecutors will submit new evidence to a grand jury and continue a full investigation. The renewed probe is expected to focus on uncovering the context omitted during the initial investigation.
Lee, a student of Korean descent at Cornell University who is among the perpetrators, has drawn significant attention domestically amid suspicions that he is a relative of a prominent domestic politician.
The campus newspaper ‘Cornell Daily Sun’ investigative reporting spurred the renewed investigation. The outlet published an editorial on the 21st of last month titled “If Cornell Won’t Act, We Will,” revealing the names of the seven accused and urging university officials to take decisive action.
Structural limitations of the U.S. sexual‑assault prosecution system are also a core issue in the renewed investigation. Currently, in 19 states including New York, prosecutors proceed only when a victim was administered drugs or was intoxicated against their will, classifying them as “mentally incapacitated.” The anti‑violence organization RAINN criticized this framework as shifting responsibility onto victims who drank voluntarily.
Recently, several states such as Minnesota and Texas have been amending laws to close this loophole, allowing prosecutors to pursue charges regardless of whether the victim’s drinking was voluntary or involuntary.
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