Penn State Rocked by Massive Fraternity-Based Cocaine Ring Bust
“Criminal activity, including hazing, such as this has no place at our institution, and we will cooperate with law enforcement in any way we can.”
Authorities in Pennsylvania have arrested more than two dozen students from two different fraternities at Penn State in what is being described as a major cocaine ring.
These were not students buying and selling small amounts of drugs for their personal use. We’re talking kilos and large amounts of cash.
FOX News has details:
Penn State cocaine bust nets 14 arrests over alleged pledge coke-cutting ‘indoctrination’ rituals
More than a dozen Penn Staters are charged in connection with an alleged massive cocaine distribution ring as one of the alleged ringleaders, Agostino Abbatiello, 24, of Westbury, New York remains at large.
Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday announced that Abbatiello is among 14 people who are facing charges related to the coke trafficking operation where students and two off-campus fraternities were allegedly involved.
“In all, 13 defendants were Penn State University students at or around the time of the alleged conduct, in 2023 and 2024. The 14th defendant, the father of a student, is charged with tampering with evidence and hindering the investigation,” the Attorney General’s office said.
In the Monday announcement, the AG said suspects Abbatiello and Thomas Robinson were the main coke suppliers. They allegedly made regular trips to Philadelphia and New York to pick up “large quantities” of the illegal drug.
Members of the Delta Upsilon and Sigma Chi fraternities allegedly cut and packaged the coke inside their frat houses off campus and distributed it to Penn State students, investigators said.
The AG said in addition to the charges against alleged ringleaders Abbatiello and Robinson, two more, Mohammed Hurabi and Lars Zeepvat, are charged with felony corrupt organizations, conspiracy, dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity and related offenses.
Additionally, Robert Zanolla, is charged with felony conspiracy and criminal use of a communication facility and related misdemeanors.
Eight more “student-aged defendants” charged are facing misdemeanors for possession and paraphernalia, the AG said. Those include Liam Smith, Michael Brogno, Kaden Howe, Connor Hurleigh, Seth Beardsley, Kyle Ridpath, Daniel Price and Charles Wiseman.
See a video report below:
Here’s part of the statement put out by the school:
At 10:30 a.m. today Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday announced charges against 14 individuals, mostly current or former Penn State students, allegedly involved in a criminal narcotics operation in 2023 and 2024 involving two off-campus Greek organizations, Sigma Chi and Delta Upsilon.
Immediately after learning of these serious allegations, Penn State is placing Delta Upsilon on interim suspension while the Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response investigates. Penn State Student Affairs will be addressing these charges through the individual student conduct process for current students and Delta Upsilon also will be reviewed through the University’s organizational conduct processes. Sigma Chi is not a recognized organization and operates outside of the University’s support and oversight. Student Affairs also is moving quickly to establish additional educational and hazing prevention efforts that can be enhanced during the first weeks of the semester.
“We are horrified by these serious allegations against current and former students,” said Andrea Dowhower, vice president for Student Affairs. “Criminal activity, including hazing, such as this has no place at our institution, and we will cooperate with law enforcement in any way we can. We will continue to enhance our efforts around health and safety and hazing educational efforts for all our organizations.”
This feels like a flashback to the 1980s.
Featured image via YouTube.
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Comments
Animal House brought up to date.
Tom Cruise to star in the updated “Risky Business” based on current events!
Huh, strangely enough my Frat got booted/suspended from Bama the year after I left for something similar but on a smaller scale. I had no idea it was going on b/c I was such a gullible square and still naive about how wicked the world truly is. Back then I really thought most people were ‘good’ by inclination v b/c of the threat/fear of official consequences imposed by govt/employer or social sanctions imposed by Church, community, peers, friends, family.
If college students did not use drugs there would be no drug dealers on campus.
The story said they were going to Philly and NYC to pick up the coke. Sounds like someone had connections to the Mafia.
Penn State, and institute of HIGH learning.
I don’t see the big deal, and I think it’s disingenuous for people to express shock or surprise. Back in the 70s the University of Rhode Island was rated one of the top party schools by Playboy. I believe Hofstra was up there too. At URI pot, hash (hashish for you Puritans and space aliens) and cocaine were readily available. Magic mushrooms weren’t as common and you might find them once a year. Drugs were big business. And it wasn’t hard to get a 1/4 pound of pot or hash on “margin”. These guys were stupid by using their frat to coerce pledges and brother into joining their enterprise. When people voluntarily enter into dealing on a college campus they aren’t likely to get caught or turn on their “organization.”
Don’t ask me how I know, but I’ll tell you the statute of limitations has long since expired.
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