University Suspends Fraternity After Woman Sues Over Explicit Video Shared Without Her Consent

The University of Central Florida suspended a fraternity on Friday, days after a woman filed a lawsuit accusing members of the fraternity of circulating “revenge porn” and sharing nude photos and videos of women on a secret Facebook page without their consent.

Kathryn Novak filed the lawsuit against the Delta Sigma Phi fraternity and five of its members in federal district court in Florida on Wednesday. She is being represented by Michael Avenatti, the attorney who has gained prominence this year while representing adult film star Stormy Daniels in her lawsuit against President Donald Trump.

Novak, a student in Arizona, was in a long-distance relationship with University of Central Florida student Brandon Simpson, who recorded a sexual encounter with Novak and then shared the video with several fraternity members without her consent, according to the lawsuit.

The video was displayed at a fraternity chapter meeting and was also disseminated on a secret Facebook page called the “Dog Pound,” where “fraternity brothers routinely posted electronic images of their sexual ‘conquests,'” according to the lawsuit.

Simpson could not immediately be reached for comment.

“These allegations are contrary to our UCF’s core values. The university has suspended the fraternity and prohibited it from participating in all activities pending the outcome of an investigation,” the university said in a statement. “If anyone believes they may have been impacted in this case, UCF wants to hear from you. Visit www.LetsBeClear.ucf.edu to learn about options for filing a report and seeking assistance.”

Avenatti shared the lawsuit on Twitter on Thursday, condemning the fraternity for “disgusting behavior.”

“It takes a lot of bravery and courage for a woman to come forward under these circumstances, especially a young woman, but she’s intent on doing so to make sure that this doesn’t happen to other women,” Avenatti said in a statement to the Atlanta Journal Constitution. “We’re hopeful that [UCF] is going to get to the bottom of this very, very quickly and be very aggressive.”

The national Delta Sigma Phi fraternity announced Thursday that it had suspended the University of Central Florida chapter. “While we cannot comment on specific allegations made in the lawsuit, these claims are disturbing and antithetical to our organization’s values and mission,” the organization said in a statement.

Revenge porn has become an increasingly common issue, and lawmakers and tech companies have faced pressure in recent years to do more to prevent it.