Overview
- Responding to a fire alarm on Nov. 15, 2024, police found 56 blindfolded pledges in Alpha Delta Phi’s basement, many shirtless and covered in food, as shown in the footage.
- Edited clips posted to YouTube and widely shared on social platforms amassed millions of views after the video was obtained through court discovery and media requests.
- University records state the fraternity was sanctioned for hazing and related misconduct following an investigation by campus police and the Office of Student Accountability.
- Prosecutors later dismissed the only criminal case from the response—an interference charge against 21-year-old Joseph Gaya, who was not a University of Iowa student.
- Alpha Delta Phi’s national office has appealed or publicly contested the sanctions, asserting two members bore sole responsibility and were removed from the organization.