Ari Goldstein, the 21-year-old ex-president of the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity at Temple University, was arraigned on Wednesday, May 16, on charges of sexual assault.
According to reports, the investigation into Goldstein and Alpha Epsilon Pi, commonly referred to as AEPi, began in early May after two teenage Temple University students said they were sexually assaulted at the fraternity house in February and March. The house is located on Broad and Norris Street in Philadelphia.
Temple University halted the fraternity’s activities in April after “multiple credible reports” of underage drinking, drug use, and at least two sexual assault incidents.
Philadelphia police previously said three women, including two 19-year-old Temple students, reported being sexually assaulted at Alpha Epsilon Pi events. At least one of the assaults happened in February, cops said, and a second the following month.
One of the teens reportedly told cops the frat brothers gave her several drinks, after which she blacked out — believing she was sexually assaulted.
Alpha Epsilon Pi’s national chapter tried to distance itself from Goldstein on Wednesday, noting the actual arrest happened after the Temple student was removed as chapter president.
Philadelphia Police Captain Mark Burgmann said during a press conference about one of the victims: “She was given several drinks by members of the fraternity. She says she became dizzy and disoriented, and that’s the last thing she remembered until she woke up in bed with one of the members of the fraternity.”
Jonathan Pierce, a spokesperson for Alpha Epsilon Pi, said Goldstein was removed as chapter president “several weeks ago.” At the time of this writing, he was being held on $2 million bail. He is scheduled to appear in court for a preliminary hearing on May 31.
You can read Pierce’s full statement for AEPi below:
“Alpha Epsilon Pi International has no additional information about the charges being brought. We have not been informed — nor would we expect to be — of any of the allegations made or the evidence found. We will continue, though, to cooperate with Temple University and all local authorities. The young man charged was not the chapter president at the time of his arrest. He had been removed as president several weeks ago and the chapter has been suspended by the International Fraternity for nearly a month. We are, obviously, deeply troubled by the charges leveled at this young man. We believe in due process but there is clearly no place for this behavior in our organization and, if proven true, I would expect the individual to be permanently expelled from our fraternity.”
Ari Goldstein