Polymarket removes contract on Cornell rape case charges after public backlash

Polymarket has taken down a contract from its international platform that let users trade on whether any of seven men accused of raping a Cornell University student in 2024 would face felony sex crime charges. The removal followed public backlash.

The market was based on allegations by a former student identified in court documents as Jane Doe. In a civil lawsuit filed on September 16, she claims she was drugged and assaulted at the Chi Phi fraternity house in October 2024 by seven members who had given her alcohol, marijuana and ketamine. The defendants deny the allegations, and none has faced criminal charges. Local prosecutors first declined to pursue charges, but the case was reopened after widespread public criticism following the lawsuit. New York Governor Kathy Hochul later named Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor.

The contract launched on September 30 and was due to run until January 31. Before its removal it had recorded more than $450,000 in trading volume.

Advocates reacted strongly. Attorney Cheyenne Hunt called the market "dehumanizing, disgusting, and dangerous" in an Instagram post, and the sexual assault advocacy nonprofit I Have The Right To also condemned it, saying Polymarket was turning allegations of sexual violence into a possible source of profit.

The platform has faced similar criticism before over markets tied to serious criminal cases, including contracts on the outcome of the trial of Massachusetts mother Lindsay Clancy. Critics have also warned that markets linked to criminal proceedings could create financial incentives to interfere with investigations or prosecutions. Scrutiny has reached figures associated with the company too, including basketball player LeBron James, who endorses Polymarket and recently appeared in a star-studded advertisement. A representative for director Spike Lee, who also appeared in the commercial, declined to comment.

Polymarket said its main goal is to offer objective, data-driven insight into major issues, and that this market focused on whether the government would act. It acknowledged public concerns, cited its belief in the wisdom of crowds, and confirmed the market was removed. Earlier this month, the company said it had addressed some player safety concerns by partnering with Birches Health to provide mental health resources for traders who experience problematic buying behavior.