Florence Pugh speaks out on Cornell assault case

Actor Florence Pugh has spoken out about a sexual assault lawsuit involving a former Cornell University student, after claiming Instagram blocked her original post about the case. The former student, identified as Jane Doe in court documents, filed a lawsuit in New York Supreme Court on September 16. The lawsuit alleges that seven fraternity members sexually assaulted her in 2024 after she was visiting a friend at Cornell’s Chi Phi house. According to the lawsuit, two fraternity members allegedly pressured the woman into snorting what they told her was ketamine while she was drugged. It further alleges that multiple people engaged in sexual acts with her without her consent. Pugh discussed the case during an appearance on The View. She said she wanted to use her platform to speak about the allegations and described Instagram blocking her original post as “another shock.” “I am a woman and this affects all women,” Pugh said, adding that stories involving sexual assault can cause fear, anxiety and anger. She also said she was grateful to have a platform where she could discuss the issue publicly. The lawsuit names Winston Lee, Scott Kretzschmar, Scott Norris, Matthew Ingalls, Johnathan Newell, Gillio Lopes and Diego Sarabia. The woman’s attorney, Thomas Giuffra, alleged that two of the seven men were expelled, while others faced lesser disciplinary measures. He also said none of the alleged attackers was arrested. Cornell University said it investigated and adjudicated the allegations according to its policies. The university said it condemns sexual violence and that privacy laws prevent it from sharing specific disciplinary information about individual students. The Chi Phi chapter remained barred from campus.