The former president of the Temple fraternity chapter that was banned from campus after it was linked to multiple allegations of sexual misconduct was charged this week with attempted rape. Ari Goldstein, 21, of Wrightstown, Pa., and w ordered held on $2 million bail after he was charged with attempted rape, intimidation, indecent assault and threatening a witness.
But Goldstein was released after his family posted a bond worth 10 percent of the bail, or $200,000, CBS reported.
Goldstein is formerly the president of the Temple chapter of Alpha Epsilon Pi, which was suspended in April after the university said multiple incidents of sexual assault had been reported there. He is detained at Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility pending a preliminary hearing scheduled for May 31.
He was reportedly arrested as he was in Boston at Logan International Airport preparing to board a plane to Israel for a vacation. The DA’s office had originally asked for $10 million bail.
“Given the seriousness of this crime, our office requested high bail which was set at $2 million dollars,” said Philly DA Larry Krasner’s spokesman Ben Waxman in a statement. Waxman added that they’re encouraging any other victims to contact police by calling 911 or the Special Victims Unit at 215-685-3260.
The Alpha Epsilon Pi frat was reportedly known for wild parties and its suspension was also for underage drinking and drug use. Two 19-year-old women had first reported being sexually assaulted at the frat to police at the frat house on Broad near Norris Street. One specifically said she believed she had been drugged and molested.
Goldstein is charged for allegedly assaulting a female, pinning her down and telling her to “shush” as he attempted to force her into a sex act before she escaped and fled, the Inquirer reported.
Goldstein’s defense attorney Perry de Marco told media that Goldstein was innocent and was being treated unfairly, telling CBS that other clients on similar charges would only face $3-$12,000 bail for such charges.
The fraternity’s broader organization has denied any knowledge of the assaults and decried Goldstein’s alleged conduct.
“Alpha Epsilon Pi International has no additional information about the charges being brought,” they said in a statement. “The young man charged was not the chapter president at the time of his arrest. He had been removed as president several weeks ago and the chapter has been suspended by the International Fraternity for nearly a month. We are, obviously, deeply troubled by the charges leveled at this young man. We believe in due process but there is clearly no place for this behavior in our organization and, if proven true, I would expect the individual to be permanently expelled from our fraternity.”
