Current Events

The Mayor of Ithaca, New York, isn't happy with Cornell University's handling of the alleged fraternity gang rape ... and current students are paying the price.

Mayor Robert G. Cantelmo released a statement on Monday ... saying he became aware of the "heinous and sickening allegations" last week, and making it clear that Cornell University administration and police never contacted or coordinated any response with the Ithaca Police Department.

He says Cornell didn't hold the alleged perpetrators accountable ... and adds, "This is a miscarriage of justice and continues to pose a significant threat to students and residents who may be victimized at unsafe and under-monitored on- or off-campus student events."

Good Morning America's Will Reeve announced he is now cancer-free after discovering earlier this year that he had testicular cancer.

The morning show host told People that he was diagnosed this past spring ... and it then spread to the lymph nodes in his abdomen. He said he got checked out after noticing a lump on one of his testicles while taking a shower.

Will said his wife Amanda pushed him to see a doctor ... which led to him undergoing surgery in May to remove the cancerous testicle. 

Diego Sarabia, one of the Cornell students accused of sexual assault, is suddenly out of a job at Wells Fargo as prosecutors reopen their investigation of the alleged 2024 incident ... TMZ has learned.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Sarabia is no longer employed at the Charlotte, NC bank branch where he'd reportedly been employed since 2022. We're told the decision was directly tied to the Tompkins County D.A.'s announcement Monday his office is considering criminal charges.

Sarabia is one of seven Cornell alums and fraternity brothers named in a civil lawsuit filed by a Jane Doe. She claims she was drugged and sexually assaulted at the Chi Phi fraternity house in October 2024.

Jake Tapper made the Cornell alleged sex assault case personal on air ... telling Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten he couldn’t imagine how angry he'd be if prosecutors handled a case involving his own daughter the same way.

During a CNN interview Monday night, Tapper had a sharp tone when pressing Van Houten over his office's decision not to file criminal charges after a 2024 alleged assault involving a Cornell student and seven Chi Phi fraternity members.

Tapper said the Cornell University Police Department complaint described a woman who had consumed ketamine, was reportedly an eight out of ten on an intoxication scale and didn’t remember large portions of the night. He also pointed to an alleged fraternity group chat message advertising "free p***y" upstairs.

The bar accused of serving alcohol to the Cornell student who says she was later drugged and gang-raped by seven Cornell fraternity brothers is firing back ... saying it never served her a drop because she was under 21.

Moonies tells TMZ in a statement ... it hosted a private Tri Delta event on Oct. 19, 2024, with about 185 guests -- including 35 who were under 21.

According to the lawsuit, Jane Doe had already been drinking at her sorority house before heading to Moonies, then another bar ... and eventually the Chi Phi house, where she claims fraternity members drugged her with ketamine and sexually assaulted her.

The woman who says she was gang raped by a group of fraternity brothers at Cornell University is slamming one of the accused after his lawyer claimed his client "confirmed she was all right" ... she says he could've helped her, but he did nothing instead.

The Jane Doe's attorney -- Thomas P. Giuffra -- tells TMZ ... Scott Kretzschmar doesn't deny receiving the Snapchat group chat which allegedly advertised "Free p***y," and that should've been enough for him to protect her.

Giuffra says, "Instead of helping her, he joined in the abuse of an incapacitated young woman. No claims were ever made that he raped her. However, he did participate in sexual abuse of Ms. Doe."

The woman accusing seven Cornell fraternity brothers of drugging and gang-raping her says she made her allegations clear from the start ... despite the D.A. suggesting otherwise.

The Jane Doe's attorney, Thomas P. Giuffra, tells TMZ ... his client reported the alleged 2024 assault to Cornell Police after she had time to process what happened -- and he says the police report includes both the alleged assaults and ketamine.

Giuffra adds ... "The report prepared by the police is not materially different from what is contained in the complaint ... the drug ketamine was certainly mentioned as were the allegations."

One of the seven Cornell fraternity brothers accused in a gang rape lawsuit made an "immature" comment in the group's Snapchat, but that's where his involvement begins and ends ... at least according to his lawyer.

Jeremy Saland, attorney for defendant Scott Kretzschmar, tells TMZ ... Scott was not even present when the alleged assault occurred ... and he had already left after spending only a few minutes in the room and checking whether the woman was okay.

Saland says ... "While Scott responded to and made an immature comment on Snapchat, he did nothing else. Nothing."

The attorney says Scott never saw the woman naked or in distress, never touched her, never engaged in sexual activity, and did not consume ketamine.

A University of Georgia student was seriously injured after falling out of the window of her 8th-floor apartment ... and now she's hospitalized.

According to the Athens-Clarke County Police Department ... the unnamed student was dancing on her couch Saturday when she ended up falling out of the open window.

Authorities say she landed in the courtyard and pool area of the Rambler Athens apartment complex, which is a popular off-campus housing complex.

Police say she was taken to a hospital nearby, where she's "conscious and alert but seriously injured."

Cornell University says the students disciplined over the alleged 2024 Chi Phi gang rape faced far more than essay duty ... revealing some were expelled or suspended following its investigation.

A Cornell spokesperson tells TMZ ... the school conducted a months-long Title IX probe, using temporary suspensions and other restrictions while the allegations were investigated.

The case then went before a panel of "trained faculty and staff," which heard evidence over several days and gave both the accuser and respondents a chance to testify.

Nolan Wells' death was an accidental drowning, and anyone who says otherwise is full of it ... so says the United Cajun Navy, which is firing back at people online.

The grassroots nonprofit organization was active on X over the weekend ... reposting a clip of Nancy Grace talking about the case ... and responding to a series of persistent narratives.

The UCN says nobody opened Nolan's phone after 2:18 PM on the day he disappeared ... until his mom did later that evening ... and nobody deleted anything from it.

GoFundMe yanked a campaign off its site that was raising money for an elderly man's cancer-stricken wife -- and it's all because the guy's daughter was allegedly posing as someone else.

According to NewsNation ... 81-year-old Donald Johnson was trying to raise funds to pay for his wife's cancer treatments, but their GoFundMe page was deactivated after the company found "factual misrepresentations."

Here's what happened ... Johnson's so-called "neighbor" was in charge of the crowdfunding campaign, but the "neighbor" -- named Erin -- was really his daughter ... Amy.

Rande Gerber was spotted returning to his late son Presley Gerber's Los Angeles home ... amid news that Presley had been cremated.

In the pics obtained by TMZ ... Rande -- who wore shorts, a T-shirt and a hat -- kept his head down as he walked toward the front door of his late son's house Friday.

We reported earlier ... Presley's death certificate obtained by TMZ revealed that he was cremated at the Rose Family Funeral Home just days after his passing.

A nor'easter has been pummeling the East Coast with heavy wind and rain ... and even though the worst is yet to come, pics and video show devastating coastal flooding.

Among the hardest-hit areas is the Jersey Shore. One video taken last night shows a road in Surf City completely submerged with waters rising rapidly.

The onlooker called the situation "terrible" and said they were concerned about houses being flooded.

Carrot Top has canceled his Las Vegas shows for the next three weeks following a suicide attempt ... TMZ has learned.

Sources familiar with the performances tell TMZ ... the comedian's shows at the Luxor's Atrium Showroom have been called off as he continues receiving medical care.

As TMZ previously reported ... Carrot Top, whose real name is Scott Thompson, was hospitalized last Friday following a suspected overdose involving prescription pills.

Presley Gerber was dropped off at the rehab facility where he died by a friend, along with his personal coach on his team ... TMZ has learned.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Presley's team found the Santa Monica facility and arranged for him to go there. His family -- Cindy Crawford, Rande Gerber and Kaia Gerber -- had recently discussed Presley returning to treatment, but they didn't know he was going to this specific center and would never have approved of it.

As TMZ previously reported ... Presley arrived shortly after 6 PM Saturday while appearing to be under the influence of a substance.