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Polymarket has removed a betting contract that let users wager on whether any of the seven men accused of raping a Cornell University student in 2024 would face felony sex crime charges. The contract attracted more than $450,000 in trading volume before the platform pulled it from its international exchange.
The Betting Contract and Its Removal
Polymarket made the contract available on September 30. It was originally set to close on January 31. Front Office Sports first reported on the contract’s existence.
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A Polymarket spokesperson told The Associated Press on Tuesday that the platform aims to provide “objective, data-driven insight to the most important questions of our time.” The spokesperson said the market addressed whether the government would take action in a case of serious public concern. However, the company ultimately decided to remove it. “We believe in the wisdom of crowds, have heard them loud and clear, and removed the market,” the statement added.
Polymarket’s U.S. exchange operates under regulation by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission. That body bans trading linked to activity that federal or state law considers unlawful.
Public Backlash and Celebrity Criticism
The removal followed significant public backlash. A petition titled “No Gambling on Gang Rape” called out celebrities including LeBron James, Emily Ratajkowski and Eli Manning. All three have promoted Polymarket as brand ambassadors.
The petition argued that those ambassadors were “profiting from the heinous trend of betting on sexual assault cases.” It also warned of potential corrupt influence on parties such as jurors. The petition called on the celebrities to cut ties with Polymarket and publicly denounce betting on legal cases involving sexual violence.
Meanwhile, the Ontario Securities Commission fined Polymarket’s parent companies in April 2025. The platform is currently serving a two-year ban in Ontario for violating provincial securities laws.
The Cornell Case
A woman identified in court documents as Jane Doe filed a lawsuit last month. She alleged that seven fraternity members sexually assaulted or exploited her in October 2024. She also accused Cornell University of mishandling her complaints.
All seven men have denied her allegations. They claim either that their interactions were consensual or that they had no involvement.
Jane Doe went to campus police three weeks after the alleged assault. She gave investigators a detailed account of events. However, the local district attorney reviewed a police summary of her interview and decided not to file criminal charges or pursue further investigation.
As a result, only the university’s internal process continued. Cornell conducted its investigation under the federal Title IX law, with the aim of determining disciplinary outcomes for the students involved.
Details of the Allegations
In her lawsuit, Jane Doe accused two men of performing sex acts on her without consent while she was partially incapacitated. She accused another man of kissing her without consent. According to Title IX documents reviewed by The Associated Press, she told investigators that two additional men stood at the foot of the bed and acted “more like voyeurs than anything.”
The lawsuit seeks to hold all seven men liable for rape. Jane Doe is asking for unspecified damages.
Her allegations have since sparked protests on the Cornell campus. They have also renewed scrutiny of the university’s disciplinary system. Furthermore, authorities have reopened a criminal investigation into the alleged October 2024 assault.
