Sassy Chanelle™️ podcast

Cornell: What about HER future?

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Sassy Chanelle | Hosted by Christi Chanelle

Seven men named in a civil lawsuit. A fraternity Snapchat chat. A woman who says she was sexually assaulted. And a question we need to ask: What about her future?

In this episode, I discuss a former Cornell student’s allegations of sexual assault and drugging at the Chi Phi fraternity house, the Snapchat messages described in her lawsuit, and the questions surrounding Cornell’s response.

But this conversation goes beyond the seven defendants. What responsibility do people have when they recognize that someone might be in danger? When does loyalty to your friends become an excuse to look away?

I also share my own experience of sexual assault at 19. Because before anyone asks why she was drinking or why she went there, hear this: drinking is not permission. Trusting someone is not permission. Being unable to fight back is not permission.

Women deserve safety, support, and a future that matters just as much as anyone else’s.

In this episode:

  • The Cornell lawsuit and the allegations involving Chi Phi.
  • The Snapchat messages and questions about who knew what.
  • Consent, intoxication, and victim-blaming.
  • Cornell’s response and disciplinary accountability.
  • My personal story and a message to women who haven’t felt heard.

The seven named defendants

The seven current or former students named as defendants in the civil lawsuit, as reported by The Cornell Daily Sun, are:

  • Matthew Ingalls
  • Johnathan Newell
  • Winston Lee
  • Gillio Lopes
  • Diego Sarabia
  • Scott Norris
  • Scott Kretzschmar

These are defendants facing civil allegations, not a list of criminal convictions.

Follow and connect

Follow, subscribe, and share this episode to help keep women’s stories in the conversation. You can participate without sharing your own experience publicly.

Content warning and disclaimer

This episode contains explicit language and discussion of sexual assault and drugging.

Recorded September 27, 2026. This episode presents Christi Chanelle’s personal opinions and commentary on a pending civil lawsuit and reporting available at the time of recording. The allegations are contested and are not established findings of guilt. An attorney for defendant Scott Kretzschmar has denied the allegations against his client.

No criminal charges had been filed at the time of recording. On September 28, 2026, the Tompkins County district attorney announced the investigation would reopen.

Discussion of bystander responsibility does not establish what any unnamed Snapchat participant knew, witnessed, or did. Membership in a group chat alone does not establish wrongdoing.

Sources and further reading

Support is available

RAINN—the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network—offers confidential support through its National Sexual Assault Hotline, available 24/7:

And that’s just my perspective.

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