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Polymarket removed a prediction market on whether seven Cornell University fraternity members accused of sexual assault in a civil lawsuit would face felony sex-crime charges, according to the New York Post. More than $450,000 had been traded on the contract as of Monday afternoon, Oct. 19.
The market was available on Polymarket’s international platform, not its U.S. app. The Post reported that the company took the page offline after the newspaper contacted it for comment, amid criticism from sexual assault advocates.
Advocates challenge market and celebrity endorsements
The backlash focused on allowing traders to take positions on a possible criminal prosecution arising from sexual assault allegations. Advocates also called on celebrities who promoted Polymarket to denounce the contract or cut ties with the company.
A petition titled “No Gambling on Gang Rape!” singled out several celebrity promoters. In an Instagram post criticizing the market, Cheyenne Hunt called it “dehumanizing, disgusting, and dangerous,” according to the Post.
Polymarket defended offering the contract. A company spokesperson told Front Office Sports that prediction markets could provide “objective, data-driven insight into how a matter like this is moving through the legal system.”
The reported removal establishes that the market page was taken offline. The supplied reporting does not explain how existing positions were handled or whether traders received refunds, leaving those practical questions unanswered.
Manhattan lawsuit and Tompkins County investigation
The underlying civil lawsuit was filed Sept. 16 in Manhattan Supreme Court by a woman identified as Jane Doe. It alleges that seven members of Cornell’s Chi Phi fraternity sexually assaulted her during the night of Oct. 19, 2024, and into the following morning.
Those claims are allegations, not findings of criminal guilt. According to the Post, the Tompkins County district attorney initially declined to bring criminal charges in 2024 but has since reopened the investigation.
Cornell said its disciplinary proceedings resulted in sanctions that included suspensions and expulsions. University discipline is distinct from the civil lawsuit and the criminal investigation.
Whether the reopened investigation results in charges remains unresolved. The story’s New York connection is the court case and investigation; the removed contract was not offered through Polymarket’s U.S. app.
More from playny.com – Reported FTC sports betting review would exclude Kalshi and Polymarket – New York’s Polymarket fight puts sportsbook tax revenue in focus – Polymarket Adds Self-Exclusion, Deposit Limits As New York Pressure Builds
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Source: As reported by New York Post.
This article was created with the assistance of AI and is monitored by our editorial team.
