Penn State fraternity raid uncovers campus cocaine operation linked to student

Authorities received a tip that a male using the moniker “T-Rob” was selling cocaine from the Delta Upsilon fraternity house at Penn State, with payments routed through a Venmo account called “Tom-Robinson.” A subsequent database query linked the Venmo username to Thomas Robinson, a 23-year-old student whose listed address corresponded to the fraternity residence. In a December 2024 raid, Robinson is reported to have fought the officers, mistakenly thinking they were fellow members joking with him.

Penn State responded by placing Delta Upsilon on interim suspension and clarified that the Sigma Chi chapter operates beyond the university’s direct control. University vice president for student affairs Andrea Dowhower expressed horror at the allegations involving current and former students. The Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office, led by Dave Sunday, filed charges against 14 people tied to the operation, including Robinson’s father, Paul Robinson.