Prediction market platform Polymarket has removed a betting contract that allowed users to 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, which launched on September 30 and was scheduled to run through January 31, generated more than $450,000 in trading volume before being pulled from the platform’s international site following intense public backlash.
“Our primary goal at Polymarket is to bring objective, data-driven insight to the most important questions of our time,” a Polymarket spokesperson stated. “This market addressed whether the government would take action—a process that deserves scrutiny, particularly in a case of such serious concern. That said, we believe in the wisdom of crowds, have heard them loud and clear, and removed the market.”
The underlying legal situation stems from a lawsuit filed last month by a woman identified in court documents as Jane Doe. The plaintiff alleges that seven fraternity members sexually assaulted or exploited her in October 2024 and contends that Cornell University mishandled her subsequent complaints. All seven men have denied the allegations, maintaining either that their interactions with the plaintiff were consensual or that they had no involvement in the incident.
The removal of the betting contract drew attention to Polymarket’s high-profile marketing campaigns and corporate partnerships. Philadelphia 76ers star LeBron James, who holds an endorsement contract with the platform, recently starred in a celebrity-heavy advertisement alongside Derek Jeter, Eli Manning, Sue Bird, and other prominent figures. Online critics sharply condemned the betting pool as degrading and questioned why celebrity ambassadors maintained associations with the company. An online petition specifically targeted James, Manning, actress Alexandra Daddario, and model Emily Ratajkowski, urging them and other famous endorsers to sever ties with the platform.
Inquiries regarding the controversy were sent to major sports organizations that maintain formal partnerships with Polymarket, including the NHL, Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, the UFC, and the ATP Tour. Representatives for several celebrities featured in the advertisements declined to comment or did not immediately respond to requests for statements, including representatives for James, Jeter, Manning, Bird, and director Spike Lee. Representatives for actors Craig Robinson, John Leguizamo, and Alexandra Daddario were also contacted for comment.
Oversight of prediction markets operating within the United States falls under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which explicitly forbids wagers connected to activities deemed unlawful under federal or state law. However, Polymarket’s international platform has previously faced scrutiny over other unconventional or sensitive betting markets. Earlier this year, a U.S. Army sergeant was indicted over bets placed on the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Additionally, reporting revealed that dozens of newly created accounts placed substantial wagers on a U.S.-Iran ceasefire shortly before the official announcement was made public, sparking concerns regarding potential insider trading.
Despite the removal of the Cornell sexual assault legal outcome contract, Polymarket maintained another active market on its international platform allowing customers to trade on whether Cornell President Michael Kotlikoff would remain in his position past October 31. That specific contract had accumulated more than $10,700 in trading volume.
