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San Diego State announced the verdict in their investigation of the rape and gang rape allegations against alum and former Buffalo Bills punter Matt Araiza. The university said there are “no findings” of wrongdoing.
“While the university cannot provide specific information related to its student disciplinary proceedings and investigations, or specific information related to student records, it can confirm that none of the former students named in the civil suit are now the subject of an active investigation,” SDSU said, according to ESPN's Alaina Getzenberg.
Araiza and two former SDSU teammates were accused by a then-17-year-old girl of committing gang rape in October of 2021 at an off-campus party. No criminal charges were filed, but they have all been named as defendants in a civil suit scheduled for trial this October.
Araiza, the 2021 Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Year and sixth-round pick, was released by the Bills almost immediately after the lawsuit was filed (they said they were unaware of the allegations at time of the 2022 NFL Draft). He never played an official snap in the NFL.
Witnesses said Araiza had already left the party before the alleged crime would have taken place. He is filing for damages to his reputation against the school.
The woman's attorney, Dick Semerdjian, challenged the relevance of these findings, considering she is not an SDSU student, nor did the alleged rape occur on campus grounds. He called the findings “meaningless.”
While Matt Araiza has been officially vindicated by the university, the civil case moves forward.
