Chilling statement frat member gave after 56 students were found blindfolded in basement

A frat member gave a chilling statement after he was relieved of all charges in a “hazing” incident in which men were seen blindfolded in a basement. In the last two days, disturbing footage from the event has been going viral once again, and has now had tens of millions of views.

The hazing incident happened in 2024, at the University of Iowa, and was involving the Alpha Delta Phi fraternity. Men were seen to have been drenched in food and alcohol, blindfolded and tied up in the dark.

The bodycam footage was taken as police and firefighters responded to a fire alarm at the fraternity. In the basement of a house, police found 56 people across two rooms, and said it “looks like we have quite a bit of hazing.”

Hazing is defined as any humiliating, degrading, abusive, or dangerous activity required for joining or participating in a group, regardless of the individual’s willingness to participate. It’s similar to an initiation ceremony, that sometimes take place at UK universities. Hazing is forbidden at the University of Iowa, and is a misdemeanour under Iowa law.

The footage from the Iowa Alpha Delta Phi hazing discovery is WILD.

A fire alarm went off, police arrived and discovered pledges in the dirty basement blindfolded and shirtless.

The two guys initially talking to police did not help the fraternity's case pic.twitter.com/zUMe6QL0hw

— Tim Jones (@TimothyJones92) February 18, 2026

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At the time, one man was arrested and charged the following day with interference of official acts. He could been seen in the video that has been going viral, standing on the stairs and drinking a beer. He was later recorded having a conversation with officers.

21-year-old Joseph Gaya told police the incident had been a “celebration of life”. The charges against him were ultimately dropped, but the University investigated the incident and suspended the fraternity for four years, until 2029.

According to reports, officers said Gaya had blocked the doorway of the basement, despite being asked to move several times. Police added that later, Gaya stood in front of two witnesses in a separate room as an officer tried to talk to them about the incident. The officer had asked Gaya to step out of the way multiple times, but police said he told the witnesses to not talk.

At the time, after charges had been dropped, Gaya said in a statement: “This past year has been challenging, but I’m thankful the case was dismissed and the truth was recognised. I deeply appreciate the time, effort, and dedication my attorneys, Dan Vondra and Brianna Potts, put into resolving this case. I’m looking forward to putting this behind me and focusing on the future.”

A spokesperson for the University of Iowa previously told the Iowa City Press Citizen that he was not a student at the university, at the time of the incident.

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