Prediction market platform Polymarket has removed an international betting contract that allowed users to wager on whether seven Cornell University fraternity members accused of a 2024 sexual assault will face felony charges. The market generated $451,633 in volume before being taken down on October 19, 2026, following intense backlash from advocacy groups and an online petition urging celebrity endorsers like LeBron James to cut ties with Polymarket.
Cornell rape case betting market
- ▪Before its removal, traders on Polymarket's international platform placed a 72 percent probability that no Cornell University fraternity member would face a felony sex crime charge.
- ▪Polymarket hosted a wager on its international platform asking whether any of seven Cornell University Chi Phi fraternity members accused of sexual assault in October 2024 would be charged with a felony sex crime.
- ▪The Polymarket betting contract regarding felony charges for the Cornell University fraternity members launched on September 30, 2026, was scheduled to close on January 31, 2027, and accumulated $451,633 in trading volume.
Public backlash from advocates
- ▪A civil lawsuit filed on September 16, 2026, in Manhattan Supreme Court by Jane Doe alleges seven Cornell University Chi Phi fraternity members sexually assaulted her in October 2024 after providing alcohol and drugs.
- ▪Alex Goldenberg, a senior fellow at Rutgers University, stated that prediction markets linked to criminal cases create financial incentives for people with inside information or influence to interfere with legal proceedings.
- ▪Attorney Cheyenne Hunt and sexual assault advocacy group I Have The Right To publicly condemned Polymarket's betting contract as dehumanizing, dangerous, and an attempt to profit from sexual violence.
- ▪All seven Cornell University fraternity members named in Jane Doe's sexual assault lawsuit denied her allegations, claiming their interactions were consensual or that they were not involved.
Celebrity endorser pressure campaign
- ▪Polymarket holds formal commercial sports partnership agreements with Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, the National Hockey League, the Ultimate Fighting Championship, and the ATP Tour.
- ▪An online petition by advocacy organization UltraViolet called on celebrity pitchmen including LeBron James, Eli Manning, and Emily Ratajkowski to sever their endorsement ties with Polymarket.
- ▪Basketball star LeBron James, who receives an estimated $15 million annually to promote Polymarket, appeared in a Polymarket commercial alongside Derek Jeter, Eli Manning, Sue Bird, and Spike Lee.
Polymarket removes controversial market
- ▪A Polymarket spokesperson stated on October 20, 2026, that while the market aimed to bring data-driven insight to government actions, Polymarket removed the market after hearing public crowd feedback.
- ▪Polymarket removed the betting market regarding felony charges for seven Cornell University fraternity members from its international platform on October 19, 2026, following public outcry.
- ▪Front Office Sports was the first news outlet to report on Polymarket's betting market regarding the Cornell University sexual assault case.
CFTC prediction market regulations
- ▪Polymarket previously drew criticism for hosting international prediction markets on kidnapping cases, military rescues, and trading volume surrounding a U.S.-Iran ceasefire announcement.
- ▪Polymarket's United States exchange is regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which prohibits wagers related to activity that is unlawful under federal or state law.
- ▪Polymarket restricted the Cornell University fraternity sexual assault betting market to its international platform, excluding users on its United States application.
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