A Penn State fraternity has been suspended after police alleged that members photographed and distributed images of drug deals, hazing, and unsuspecting, passed out, and mostly nude women, NBC News confirmed Tuesday.
A private Facebook page — dubbed “Covert Business Transactions” — was discovered by a victim whose photo was posted. The page had 144 members, including current students and alumni at the time the search warrant was issued. It was shut down after a victim discovered it, but later recreated under the name “2.0,” police documents detailed.
Members of the group commented on the photos with remarks like “banged her lol” and “Lol delete these photos or we’ll be on cnn in a week.” The photos in the search warrant depict seemingly passed out women in various states of undress. One photo depicts a girl reaching out to a man asking if “protection was involved” in the hook-up she suspected had happened while she was “blacked out.”
RELATED: Oklahoma fraternity faces more racism allegations
Following reports of the incident, the national fraternity suspended the chapter beginning Tuesday for one calendar year “for the most serious misconduct, most serious disregard of Fraternity rules, policies, and property by the chapter,” according to a letter sent to the chapter. “While under suspension the chapter will be reorganized,” the fraternity’s executive director, Joseph Rosenberg, said.
“State College Police and Penn State administrators continue to investigate the reports surrounding Kappa Delta Rho (KDR) fraternity,” said Penn State’s Vice President for Student Affairs Damon Sims. “The evidence offered by the Facebook postings is appalling, offensive and inconsistent with the University community’s values and expectations.”
Sims promised that the university would take action: “The University will hold accountable any groups and individuals found responsible. Discipline and accountability for Penn State’s fraternities can occur on several levels since these are private organizations. Such investigations are conducted in partnership with fraternity nationals, chapter alumni boards, and the Penn State Interfraternity Council, as well as local law enforcement.”
By the time police had obtained warrants, the Facebook page and several computers had been wiped clean but roughly 20 photos for evidence had been obtained earlier in the investigation.
The fraternity, Kappa Delta Rho, is the latest Greek organization to make headlines for bad behavior. Earlier this month, Sigma Alpha Epsilon’s University of Oklahoma chapter was closed and some members expelled after a video of members chanting a racist song was posted online. Just more than a year ago, a Penn State sorority, Chi Omega, was shut down for another racially charged incident after a photo appeared online of members dressed in sombreros carrying offensive signs like “Will mow lawn for weed + beer.”
“In response to the discovery of the two Facebook pages allegedly hosted by Kappa Delta Rho, the chapter was immediately placed on full chapter suspension by Penn State’s Interfraternity Council,” the council said following the fraternity’s suspension.
Jane Timm