Seven members of Indiana University's Phi Kappa Psi fraternity are facing criminal charges after an alleged hazing ritual sent two pledges to the hospital with a serious medical condition. The charges, filed by the Monroe County Prosecutor's Office, include two felony counts of hazing for each defendant, with the fraternity's president facing an additional felony count of obstruction of justice.
According to court records, the incident occurred in October 2025 in the fraternity's chapter room, where more than two dozen pledges were subjected to a grueling physical ordeal. The pledges were reportedly lined up in a room devoid of furniture, with only a metal trough containing ice water, and ordered to perform strenuous exercises for approximately three hours. These exercises included what witnesses described as "brother squats," where pledges lock arms and perform squats simultaneously to the point of exhaustion.
Two pledges were subsequently hospitalized after complaining of thigh pain, difficulty walking, and one reported dark urine. Both were diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis, a condition in which skeletal muscle tissue breaks down and releases harmful proteins and enzymes into the bloodstream. The condition can be life-threatening if not treated promptly, and both pledges required multiple days of hospitalization.
The investigation revealed that Joseph Moon, identified by witnesses as the direct supervisor of the hazing, was responsible for deciding which activities the pledges had to perform. The five other charged members were allegedly present during the event, which was overseen from the outside by fraternity president Arjunkumar Patel, according to court documents.
Patel is also accused of attempting to cover up the incident. One pledge told investigators that Patel messaged him while he was in the hospital, instructing him to lie about the cause of his injuries and claim they resulted from a gym workout. Patel allegedly also told the pledge to delete the messages.
Indiana University suspended Phi Kappa Psi on October 21, 2025, issuing a cease-and-desist order and maintaining the suspension pending the outcome of the criminal case. Lamar Hylton, vice chancellor for Student Life at IU Bloomington, stated, "The Office of Student Life holds all fraternities and sororities to high standards of safety, accountability and respectful experiences for every member. The allegations made in the charges announced by the Monroe County Prosecutor's Office are inconsistent with Indiana University's values and expectations of student conduct."
Tammy Meyer, an attorney representing one of the victims, emphasized the severity of the incident. "People often dismiss hazing as a college tradition or rite of passage. But when young students are hospitalized with a potentially life-threatening medical condition, it becomes painfully clear that this conduct is anything but harmless," she said. "Our hope is that these criminal proceedings change the culture surrounding hazing before another student is seriously injured."
The legal fallout extends beyond the criminal charges. Two law firms representing one of the hospitalized pledges have filed a tort claim alleging that Indiana University failed to protect students from dangerous pledging practices. In a victim statement released through attorneys, the pledge said, "This experience took away what should have been an exciting part of my freshman year. Instead of building friendships, I ended up in the hospital with a serious medical condition. I hope these criminal proceedings encourage students to speak up and reminds organizations that no tradition is worth risking someone's life."
The case has drawn attention to the persistent issue of hazing in Greek life, with advocates calling for stricter oversight and accountability. As the legal process unfolds, the university faces scrutiny over its handling of fraternity activities and its duty to ensure student safety. For more on related campus safety concerns, see security challenges on campuses. The broader implications for institutional liability are also being debated, with some lawmakers pushing for reforms similar to those seen in bipartisan education initiatives.
