At least three women have been wrongly identified as the alleged victim in the reported gang rape case at Cornell University, according to her attorney.
The allegations have sent shock waves through the New York Ivy League campus. In a lawsuit filed in September, the woman—identified in court documents as Jane Doe—claimed that seven members of the Chi Phi fraternity sexually assaulted her at an off-campus house in 2024.
Her attorney, Thomas Giuffra, said several women have been mistakenly identified as his client by individuals attempting to intimidate or silence her.
“They’re telling Jane Doe that people are trying to find her. They have tracked down at least three women who were not Jane Doe, based on what I’ve heard,” Giuffra said Sunday on CNN’s State of the Union.
“She has received multiple threats, and women who are not even Jane Doe have also been threatened over what people intend to do to her.”
Giuffra said the threats directed at his client included messages such as: “We’re going to shut you up. You’re still going to get hurt by us. You’re going to withdraw this lawsuit, or we’re going to do something to hurt you even more.”
He added that he had also been threatened because he was representing the woman.
“I’m not afraid of these people,” Giuffra said. “But the threats and the abuse aimed at protecting the status quo are appalling. These people are disgusting. They should stay in their mother’s basement and stay out of the world.”
Attorney Thomas Giuffra, who represents the woman identified as Jane Doe in court filings, said at least three other women have been mistakenly identified as his client
The allegations have shaken Cornell University after Jane Doe filed a September lawsuit claiming she was sexually assaulted at a Chi Phi fraternity house in 2024
The case has also drawn comments from Donald Trump, who said he felt “badly” for the seven men while accusing New York Attorney General Letitia James of overseeing a “corrupt” investigation.
Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul appointed James to oversee the matter. On Friday, James announced an “active criminal investigation” into the fraternity members.
Trump, who had previously said he believed Cornell would “do what’s right” in response to the allegations, criticized Hochul’s decision to appoint James.
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In a post on Truth Social, he wrote: “Why would the Governor of New York, Kathy Hochul, appoint a Corrupt Prosecutor, Letitia ‘Peekaboo’ James, to represent the State in the highly controversial Cornell University rape case?”
The nickname has prompted accusations of racism from critics, allegations Trump has denied.
Asked about the case again Friday, Trump said—without commenting directly on either side—that James would not treat the defendants fairly.
“Well, Letitia James is a corrupt person. She’s totally corrupt, and I cannot imagine it. I feel badly for whoever she’s looking at, because they won’t get a fair shake. Letitia James is a corrupt person.”
The lawsuit alleges that a fraternity member posted in the group’s active-members Snapchat chat that there was “free p***y” upstairs, referring to Doe, and included an image said to show the exchange
The case returned to the spotlight after Jane Doe filed a civil lawsuit on September 16.
According to the complaint, Doe was 20 when she arrived at the fraternity house on October 19, 2024, after drinking heavily during a night out in Ithaca.
She alleges that fraternity members pressured her to take ketamine and supplied her with marijuana and high-proof alcohol before repeatedly sexually assaulting her as more men entered the room.
The complaint claims that seven men ultimately took part and that Doe became “completely incapacitated.” She alleges the incident continued until about 5:45 a.m., when she lost consciousness.
The filing further alleges that, during the incident, a fraternity member posted in a Snapchat group called “Chi Phi Actives” that there was “free p***y” upstairs, referring to Doe.
Another member allegedly replied: “Like you can walk in and whip it out,” according to a screenshot described in the lawsuit.
Doe reported the incident to police, but Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten later declined to bring charges.
The defendants have not all publicly addressed the allegations. At least two, however, have denied wrongdoing.
