Another Frat In Hot Water, This Time In Penn State

Fraternities have received considerable bad press lately for incidents that only confirmed the suspicions that many of these groups subscribe to and perpetuate an antiquated, deeply intolerant culture. This latest alleged incident will surely not improve that sterling reputation — Penn State suspended the Kappa Delta Rho fraternity for secret Facebook groups where frat members reportedly posted nude photos of sleeping or unconscious women, seemingly without their consent.

According to a search warrant obtained by local news channel WJAC-TV, several members of the fraternity Kappa Delta Rho are accused of taking pictures of women who were mostly nude while sleeping or passed out, and sharing those photos on a private Facebook group called "Covert Business Transactions." After a victim discovered the page, the fraternity shut it down —only to open a new private page called "2.0" in its stead, said the search warrant. The pages also included photos of hazing and drug sales.

The search warrant said that a former fraternity member tipped off State College police about the two Facebook pages that were created and operated by members of KDR. The pages had already been removed during the police investigation, but officials managed to get some 20 photos as evidence when it first discovered the incident. About 150 current students and alumni had access to the private pages, according to State College police.

State College Police Lieutenant Keith Robb said that Facebook was contacted to disable the site and to help collect more information for the investigation, adding that anyone who posted the photos could face charges including an invasion of privacy. Robb said that a search on the informant's computer:

[Y]ielded information on two victims whose images would rise to the level of criminal action.

Penn State’s Office of Student Conduct and Interfraternity Council (IFC) suspended the KDR after learning about the incident. State College police are working with the council and the fraternity's national headquarters in its investigation, reported The Guardian. IFC President Rick Groves said in a statement:

In response to the discovery of the two Facebook pages allegedly posted by Kappa Delta Rho, the chapter was immediately placed on full chapter suspension by Penn State’s Interfraternity Council. This suspension shall remain in place until all investigations regarding the incident have been completed.

The photos accompanying the warrant are graphic: images of completely nude or partially clothed women, a groping scene with the woman's pants pulled down halfway, one showing a women vomiting, and two depicting hired strippers at one of the fraternity's parties. ABC News reported that the informant said, of one of the photos (though it was unclear which):

[It's] the type of stuff that happens at KDR.

Image: Getty Images (2)