Polymarket removes betting market on felony charges in Cornell rape case

Polymarket removed a contract from its prediction market platform that let users bet on whether seven men accused of raping a Cornell student in 2024 would face felony sex crime charges, PBS NewsHour reported.

The market, which launched on September 30 and was set to close on January 31, had accumulated more than $450,000 in volume before being taken off Polymarket's international platform.

Polymarket's U.S. exchange is regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which prohibits trading related to unlawful activities under federal or state law.

A Polymarket spokesperson said the market aimed to provide objective insight into government action in a serious case but removed it after public feedback.

The contract drew criticism partly due to celebrity endorsements of Polymarket, including Philadelphia 76ers star LeBron James and others who appeared in a commercial for the platform.

The sexual assault allegations involve a woman identified as Jane Doe in court documents, who filed a lawsuit last month accusing seven fraternity members of assault or exploitation.