UPDATED at 1:22 p.m. on Aug. 9
Content warning: This story includes graphic descriptions of an alleged sexual assault.
Ari Goldstein, the former president of Temple University’s chapter of Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity, was arrested Wednesday on eight new sexual assault charges relating to and including rape.
He was charged with forcible rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, false imprisonment, sexual assault, recklessly endangering another person and other related charges. The assault allegedly occurred on Nov. 29, 2017, a spokesperson for the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office said.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, the victim accepted an invitation to go to AEPi’s fraternity house on Broad Street near Norris on Nov. 29. The female victim knew Goldstein through prior consensual sexual encounters.
While the victim and others were hanging out on the third floor of the house, the victim said she began to receive several texts from Goldstein to go to his room.
When she entered the room, she claimed that Goldstein was sitting on a couch. The two began kissing and began to have consensual sexual intercourse. The victim claimed that Goldstein then became “aggressive unlike any of her past encounters.” She alleged that Goldstein shoved his fingers in her throat and had pushed down on her collarbone, causing it to bruise.
Goldstein then allegedly shoved his hand inside her mouth, which restricted her breathing and caused her to gag, she claimed in the affidavit. Each time he did this, the victim attempted to remove his hand, but he would always put it back. She then became “frightened,” according to the report, and told Goldstein she was “too drunk” in an effort to leave.
Goldstein then told the alleged victim to give him oral sex. She, at first, obliged, but after five seconds stopped and said she did not want to. She claimed that Goldstein told her not to stop and forced her to give him oral sex by placing his hand on the back of her head. She alleged that she attempted to stop many times and began to cry. She eventually was able to push herself off of Goldstein and grabbed her clothes and ran out.
The next day, Goldstein texted the alleged victim and said in part, “Hey I know what happened last [sic] was wrong of me. I was really blacked out, but that’s not an excuse for what happened.”
“I’m really sorry and would never intentionally do anything to hurt you,” he added in his text to the alleged victim. “You’re one of my good friends. I understand if you never want to talk to me again, but again I’m just really sorry.”
Three witnesses corroborated that Goldstein and the alleged victim had told them each she had been forced by Goldstein to perform oral sex on him, according to the affidavit of probable cause. One witness, who saw the alleged victim that night, told police the victim was “hysterically crying” and told her that she had been assaulted by Goldstein and forced to perform oral sex after, after having initially consensual sex.
Another witness, who saw the alleged victim on Nov. 30, told investigators she saw marks on her collarbone and chest that were allegedly from Goldstein.
Goldstein, a senior engineering major, posted 10 percent of his $1.5 million bail Wednesday afternoon.
This is the second time Goldstein has been arrested on charges relating to sexual assault. On July 19, a judge ruled that Goldstein will stand trial for seven of eight sexual assault-related charges for an assault that allegedly occurred on Feb. 25. Goldstein maintains he is not guilty of these charges.
Perry de Marco, Goldstein’s attorney for both cases, said his client “unequivocally, categorically, denies that he committed any crime against this young lady,” regarding the charges filed Wednesday.
De Marco said at this time he only has the allegations stated by the DA and did not want to misstate them.
“It’s all crazy graphic stuff that I don’t want to talk about,” he added.
Ben Waxman, the director of communications for the DA’s Office, said that this arrest shows that his office is “very serious” about pursuing sexual assault charges for “people who engage in this type of behavior.”
A spokesperson for Temple declined to comment.
“There’s a world of things I’d like to add,” de Marco said. “But now is not the time.”
Goldstein’s preliminary hearing for these charges will be held on Aug. 23.
This story is still developing. Check back for more updates.
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