Polymarket Removes Betting Market Linked to Cornell Sexual Assault Case
United States.- 22 October 2026 | www.zonadeazar.com Polymarket, the international prediction market platform, has removed a contract allowing users to trade on whether seven Cornell University students accused of sexual assault would face criminal charges.
The decision was made on 19 October 2026, following criticism from sexual violence advocacy organisations, legal specialists and social media users.
Before its removal, the market had generated US$451,633 in trading volume, reigniting discussions about the ethical boundaries of prediction markets.
A Market Linked to Criminal Proceedings
The contract was launched on 30 September through Polymarket’s international platform.
Participants could trade on whether any of the seven accused individuals would face felony sex-crime charges before 31 January 2027.
At the time of its removal, market prices indicated an implied probability of approximately 28% that charges would be filed.
The contract was not available through Polymarket’s separate US platform.
The controversy concerned a civil lawsuit filed on 16 September by a former Cornell student identified in court documents as Jane Doe.
The claimant alleges that seven fraternity members sexually assaulted her in October 2024.
The defendants deny the allegations, and none had been criminally charged at the time of reporting.
Criticism Over Trading on Criminal Cases
Organisations supporting survivors of sexual violence criticised the creation of financial contracts linked to serious criminal allegations.
Advocacy group I Have The Right To condemned the market, while attorney Cheyenne Hunt publicly challenged its appropriateness.
The main concerns included:
- The commercialisation of events involving alleged sexual offences.
- The potential impact on individuals involved in judicial investigations.
- Possible financial incentives to interfere with legal proceedings.
- The responsibility of prediction market platforms when selecting eligible events.
The controversy also attracted attention to public figures commercially associated with Polymarket.
Polymarket Defends Its Model Before Removing the Contract
Before withdrawing the market, Polymarket defended its potential value as a mechanism for reflecting information and public expectations about significant events.
The company argued that prediction markets can provide transparency by aggregating information from participants.
However, Polymarket subsequently acknowledged the objections and removed the contract.
Criticism also extended to prominent brand ambassadors, including LeBron James, Eli Manning and Derek Jeter, because of their promotional relationships with the platform.
Regulatory Context and Industry Impact
The episode comes amid growing debate in the United States over which events should be eligible for trading through prediction markets.
The discussion raises questions concerning regulatory oversight, consumer protection and potential interference with criminal investigations.
Meanwhile, the Cornell investigation has been reopened, and New York Attorney General Letitia James has been appointed as special prosecutor to oversee the case.
For the prediction markets industry, the removal represents another example of the challenges involved in establishing clear standards for contracts connected to alleged crimes, victims and judicial proceedings.
Editó: @fonta
