Family Wrongly Targeted in Cornell Lawsuit Mix-Up
A family wrongly targeted by online harassment after a lawsuit mix-up involving Cornell University and a fraternity rape case.
2 min read
A family in upstate New York has been subjected to online harassment and threats after mistakenly receiving lawsuit documents intended for another Matthew Ingalls, a former Cornell University student accused of participating in a fraternity gang rape. The mix-up has led to public scrutiny and personal attacks on the wrong family, highlighting the dangers of misinformation in the digital age.
Mistaken Identity Sparks Online Harassment
The family of Matthew Ingalls, who never attended Cornell University, reported receiving a 101-page complaint meant for another Matthew Ingalls, one of seven men accused of sexually assaulting a female classmate at the Chi Phi fraternity house in October 2024. The family’s home address, which appeared on the official court docket, was used by online users to target the wrong individual, according to The Free Press.
Victoria Ingalls, the mother of the wrongly targeted Matthew Ingalls, told The Free Press that she opened her door to find a man handing her the complaint. The family has since faced threats and harassment, with online users circulating personal information about the Ingalls family, including details about Victoria’s 26-year-old daughter.
Legal and Investigative Developments
The law firm representing the plaintiff, identified as Jane Doe, is working with the court to correct the mistake. However, the family has already been deeply affected by the harassment. Victoria Ingalls described the situation as a form of terrorization, with people taking personal information from the internet and using it to threaten and harass others without knowing if they have the right person.
The harassment comes as Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten has reopened the investigation into the alleged assault following the filing of Doe’s civil lawsuit. In her complaint, Doe alleges she arrived at the fraternity house too intoxicated to consent to sexual activity. She claims fraternity members pressured her to take ketamine, supplied additional alcohol and marijuana, and repeatedly sexually assaulted her.
The complaint also alleges that one member sent a Snapchat message encouraging others to join the assault, and that men poured ketamine onto her body and snorted it. Doe claims two men later moved her to another room and raped her before she lost consciousness around 5:45 a.m. Three of the accused men have denied the allegations through their attorneys.
Broader Implications of Online Misinformation
The case underscores the broader implications of online misinformation and the ease with which personal information can be misused. As the legal process unfolds, the Ingalls family continues to seek justice and clarity, while the community grapples with the consequences of a flawed court system and the dangers of digital vigilantism.
Source: Daily Wire
