World · North America · 9 hrs ago
People misidentified in Cornell rape case face online abuse
A lawsuit describes an alleged 2024 gang rape of a Cornell student in the United States.
Seven men are accused, and all have denied the allegations.
Online users have searched for the accused, but Asians with matching names have been wrongly targeted with abuse and death threats.
Some people targeted say they are not connected to Cornell or the case, and one says he hired a lawyer after his phone number and parents’ address were posted online.
Former Cornell students have also reported threats and online accusations; their lawyer says some faced adverse action from employers and universities.
False identifications can spread harm and false leads, making it harder to find reliable information about the case.
The allegations are subject to the criminal process, but the sources do not say what happens next in the case.
Asians who share names with men accused in an alleged Cornell University gang rape have faced online abuse and death threats.
The alleged 2024 assault was described in a recent lawsuit and prompted online searches for the seven accused men.
All seven accused men have denied the allegations, saying their interactions with the woman were consensual or that they were not involved.
People wrongly identified as one accused man have asked online users to verify identities before making accusations.
A lawyer for former Cornell students said some had faced death threats, hate mail and adverse actions by employers and educational institutions.
- Who
- Asians and others wrongly identified as men accused in the case have been targeted online.
- What
- They have received abuse, threats and accusations linked to an alleged gang rape.
- When
- The alleged rape occurred in 2024; the online abuse followed a recent lawsuit.
- Where
- The case concerns Cornell University in the United States. Some wrongly identified people live outside the United States.
- Why
- Online users searched for the accused men and misidentified people who shared their names.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The alleged gang rape of a Cornell University student took place.
Details of the alleged assault prompted outrage and online searches for the seven accused.
People misidentified as one accused man posted appeals asking users to verify identities.
- Accused men
- Seven
- Alleged incident
- 2024
- University
- Cornell University
- Winston Lee
- A Korean man identified by US media as one of the accused
- Misidentified Chinese American
- LinkedIn profile said he graduated from Cornell in 2020
- Misidentified Indonesian man
- Said he was not the Winston Lee named in the case
3 sources
Blameless Cornell grad who completed studies before Jane Doe incident is suspended from his job after online sleuth falsely named him in connection with gang rape case
‘Witch hunt’ sweeps up Asian men misidentified in alleged Cornell gang rape
Online ‘witch hunt’ sweeps up Asians misidentified as Cornell rape accused
What people are saying
I am Indonesian and not the Winston Lee named in the recent Cornell University case.
Please verify the identity of the person you are looking for before contacting, tagging, or making accusations against someone.
These things should be litigated through the criminal process or through some sort of fair process, not through a social media mob or witch hunt.
They are being wrongfully accused on social media of having involvement, are consequently receiving death threats and related hate mail