Fraternity pledges made to cut cocaine as “indoctrination”—attorney

Pennsylvania State University fraternity pledges were allegedly enlisted to cut and package cocaine as an “indoctrination,” as 14 people have been charged over a drug-trafficking operation, prosecutors said.

Thirteen of those charged were current or former Penn State students, while the 14th was the father of one of the alleged participants.

Authorities said the operation involved members and pledges of the Sigma Chi and Delta Upsilon fraternities, with most of the alleged activity occurring in 2023 and 2024.

“This was a coordinated and highly-profitable drug-trafficking crew revolving around two senior members of the fraternities, other fraternity brothers, and pledges,” Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday said. “In fact, according to the evidence uncovered, cutting and packaging cocaine was, for some pledges, an indoctrination into the fraternities.”

Prosecutors identified Agostino Abbatiello and Thomas Robinson as the operation’s alleged principal suppliers. The pair are accused of regularly traveling to New York and Philadelphia to obtain large quantities of cocaine, which authorities said was primarily cut and packaged at the fraternity houses before being distributed mainly to Penn State students.

Penn State placed Delta Upsilon on interim suspension after learning of the charges. Sigma Chi is not recognized by the university and operates outside its oversight, the school said.

This is a developing story. More to follow.