Cornell University rocked by another sexual assault scandal involving more than 10 potential victims, accused of ignoring reports

Cornell University is under fresh attack over disturbing sexual assault claims made by a former student, where a lawsuit claims that there could be over 10 victims of such assaults. The Ivy League university has been accused of ignoring multiple complaints against a male student who allegedly sexually assaulted several women at its Ithaca, New York, campus. These claims come amid growing fears over the way the university responds to claims of sexual misconduct. The civil lawsuit, which was filed in 2023, has brought up many questions about the safety of students and accountability. Cornell University denies failing to investigate the complaints, while the former student denies the allegations.

WHAT ARE THE ALLEGATIONS AGAINST FORMER CORNELL STUDENT?

According to People, a lawsuit filed in November 2023 names former Cornell undergraduate Esat Braveboy, Cornell University, and its board of trustees as defendants. The two plaintiffs, both former female students, allege that Braveboy sexually assaulted them during his time at the university.

One woman claims that she suffered from continuous abuse from the accused between June and September or October 2018, while the other accuses him of sexual, physical, and verbal abuse in May 2021. In addition to the above, the plaintiff claims that Braveboy had sexual misconduct, involving drug-facilitated sexual abuse and rape.

According to the New York Post, the accusations indicate that possibly between five to 10 other women may have undergone abuse as well, with perhaps many others to report.

"Throughout his enrollment in the school and on campus, Braveboy sexually abused, sexually assaulted, and perpetrated egregious sexual misconduct against college students, specifically on the plaintiffs," the lawsuit alleges as quoted by the People. These accusations have not been proven in any court.

Cornell is also being accused of letting Braveboy continue having access to students even after it received complaints about his behavior. According to People, Michael S. Lamonsoff, women's attorney, stated that the suit was filed in order to serve justice to his clients.

CORNELL DENIES IGNORING SEXUAL ASSAULT COMPLAINTS

According to People, the plaintiffs say that Cornell failed to investigate their sexual misconduct claims under Title IX, the federal statute against gender discrimination in education. According to Cornell, there was nothing wrong with its response to sexual misconduct complaints.

Moreover, the lawyer representing Braveboy, Keith White, also denied the sexual assault and battery allegations against his client, stating that the matter would be handled legally.

"Cornell disputes any assertion that it failed to investigate reported sexual misconduct and absolutely rejects any assertion that it would have failed to act in response to multiple reports of such misconduct. The university has no further comment on this pending litigation," a Cornell University spokesperson told People in a statement.

According to the New York Post, the case survived dismissal attempts and would go to trial in 2027. The controversy comes amid a separate lawsuit filed in September involving an alleged sexual assault at Cornell's Chi Phi fraternity house in 2024.

However, according to People, a Cornell survey in 2025 showed that 35 percent of women undergraduates had experienced nonconsensual sexual contact, up from 23 percent in 2023.

The latest revelations have raised concerns about campus security as well as how the university has responded to sexual misconduct complaints.