Who Is Winston Lee? Cornell ‘7’ Fraternity Member’s Family Ties to Bill Clinton Revealed
Winston Lee, a Cornell University student accused in a lawsuit of taking part in a gang rape, is the grandson of a former South Korean prime minister, the New York Post reported Oct. 17, 2026. Lee, a former Chi Phi fraternity member, is one of seven men in the “Cornell 7” case. He has denied wrongdoing, and no one has been charged with a crime.
The lawsuit was filed by a fellow student identified only as “Jane Doe.” The report details Lee’s family ties to Bill Clinton, finance and nonprofit work in Hong Kong.
Winston Lee Profile: Education and Cornell Status
Lee attended United World College of the Atlantic, a boarding school in Wales that costs about $150,000 a year. At Cornell, he was part of the rugby club during the 2023-2024 academic year.
Cornell suspended him for two years. The university’s directory still lists him as enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences this semester.
Lee Hong-koo: South Korea’s Former Prime Minister
Lee’s grandfather, Lee Hong-koo, served as South Korea’s prime minister from 1994 to 1995. He was the country’s ambassador to the United States from 1998 to 2000, during Clinton’s presidency. The family descends from Korea’s former royal family.
The elder Lee died in May. Winston served as chief mourner at the Seoul funeral, overseeing key rites, greeting guests and receiving condolences for the family. The ceremony was broadcast on Korean television.
Ties to Bill Clinton
Lee Hong-koo and Clinton were photographed together at a 2000 ceremony at the Korean War Memorial in Washington marking the war’s 50th anniversary.
In 2005, while Clinton was in Seoul promoting his autobiography, Lee invited him to a hotel for bibimbap. The report does not suggest Clinton has any connection to the lawsuit.
Barton Lee and Ji Young Hwang: A Prominent Hong Kong Family
Winston’s father, Barton Lee, is the former prime minister’s only son. He is managing director and head of Asia at EIG in Hong Kong. His mother, Ji Young Hwang, is president of the Korean Women’s Association of Hong Kong, a nonprofit recognized by the South Korean government.
Sources told the Post the family has been consumed by shame since the lawsuit surfaced. The association deleted its Instagram page afterward. The Hong Kong account Cantonese Lesson Daily wrote that the move “feels like a move to protect one of their own rather than stand by their mission.”
Allegations in the Jane Doe Lawsuit
According to the lawsuit, Doe was gang raped over several hours by seven men. It alleges Lee replied “CHI PHIII” to a message Jonathan Newell sent to the “Chi Phi Actives” group chat. It further claims Lee and Matthew Ingalls took Doe to another room for the final encounter, which ended around 5:45 a.m.
Lee’s Denial and Legal Team
All the accused men have denied wrongdoing. Lee told Cornell investigators the sexual contact was consensual. The day after the alleged incident, Doe texted Newell, “I don’t think we should feel any shame. . . . Our body our choice.” Her lawyer attributed the message to “part of the processing that she was going through” from denial to acceptance.
Lee has hired the law firm that represented Sean “Diddy” Combs and Harvey Weinstein in their sex cases.
Push to Remove Letitia James as Special Prosecutor
Lee and Lopes have asked the judge to remove New York Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor. James had called Doe a “survivor” on social media and wrote, “What this young woman has been forced to endure is horrific and unacceptable.”
In an Oct. 9 filing, Lee’s attorney, Teny Geragos, argued it is unfair for an uncharged person “presumed to be innocent” to be investigated by an official who has publicly endorsed the accuser. The dispute remains before the court, and no charges have been filed.
