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Penn State student drops lawsuit against her sorority sister

Two sorority sisters at Pennsylvania State University have 'hugged and made up' after roommate drama escalated causing one girl to file a federal lawsuit. 

A lawsuit filed by rising senior Rachel Lader in which she claimed breach-of-contract and defamation against the parents of her Alpha Sigma Alpha sister and fellow rising senior Molly Brownstein, has been dropped.

Brownstein's father, Marc Brownstein told Daily Mail Online that there was a 'big misunderstanding' and the lawsuit 'should have never happened in the first place'.

He added that everything is all good between the girls.

A lawsuit filed by Penn State rising senior Rachel Lader (right) against the parents of her Alpha Sigma Alpha sister and fellow rising senior) Molly Brownstein (left) has been dropped

A lawsuit filed by Penn State rising senior Rachel Lader (right) against the parents of her Alpha Sigma Alpha sister and fellow rising senior) Molly Brownstein (left) has been dropped

Brownstein and Lader (pictured) are expected to live together for their senior year Brownstein's (pictured) father, Marc Brownstein, said that the lawsuit 'should have never happened in the first place', calling it a 'big misunderstanding'

Lader (left) and Brownstein (right) are expected to live together for their senior year. Brownstein's father, Marc Brownstein, said that the lawsuit 'should have never happened in the first place', calling it a 'big misunderstanding'

Alpha Sigma Alpha sorority members are pictured in 2013 - but none of the girls in the above photo are implicated in the lawsuit

Alpha Sigma Alpha sorority members are pictured in 2013 - but none of the girls in the above photo are implicated in the lawsuit

'The girls hugged and made up,' March Brownstein, who is CEO of the Center City ad agency the Brownstein Group, said. They're back to focusing on their education, and enjoying their senior year of college'

Brownstein and Lader are expected to live together for their senior year - which starts on Monday - and Marc Brownstein said living arrangements are still a go.

'The suits been resolved,' he told Daily Mail Online. 'Everything is all good, they're living together and everything's all good.'

Lader initially filed suit earlier this month claiming that Brownstein's parents used their influence and position as active donors to the university to encourage a disciplinary investigation against Lader that resulted in her being put on academic probation, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

The rift between the two women started when they were studying abroad and living together in Barcelona, Spain, last spring.

In a memo filed with the university, Brownstein and her parents claimed that Lader bullied her throughout their international stay in Spain.

The rift between Lader (center) and Brownstein (second from left) started when they were studying abroad and living together in Barcelona, Spain, last spring

The rift between Lader (center) and Brownstein (second from left) started when they were studying abroad and living together in Barcelona, Spain, last spring

In a memo filed with the university, Brownstein and her parents claimed that Lader bullied her throughout their international stay in Spain

In a memo filed with the university, Brownstein and her parents claimed that Lader bullied her throughout their international stay in Spain

Brownstein claimed that Lader bullied her in Spain, played loud music, threw pasta in her bed and brought a male guest home to their place

Brownstein claimed that Lader bullied her in Spain, played loud music, threw pasta in her bed and brought a male guest home to their place

Lader denied the claims and argues that she was the actual target of an attack to ruin her academic record. Together they're pictured above with their sorority sisters

Lader denied the claims and argues that she was the actual target of an attack to ruin her academic record. Together they're pictured above with their sorority sisters

Brownstein along with her parents claimed that the bullying brought her to contemplate suicide.

'Rachel bullied me to the point where I had to leave in the middle of the night in an area where people get stabbed outside my building,' Brownstein wrote in a memo that Lader, who aspires to be a lawyer once she finishes school, included in her lawsuit.

'Whenever I think about it, it brings me to a full on terrible place and makes me completely depressed.'

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In the memo, Brownstein and her parents alleged that Lader brought a male back to a shared hotel room on a trip to Prague that forced Brownstein to find another place to stay, played music too loudly in their Barcelona apartment and dumped a colander full of pasta onto Brownstein's bed.

In an eight-page memo titled 'A Mother's Perspective', Brownstein's mother claimed that Lader actively attempted to leave behind her daughter and even excluded her on a trip to Copenhagen.

Brownstein's mother filed the memo with the university.

In her lawsuit, Lader claimed the Brownsteins used their influence to the school to encourage them to have her put on academic probation Her lawsuit has since been dropped

In her lawsuit, Lader claimed the Brownsteins used their influence to the school to encourage them to have her put on academic probation

'In the sorority, it is generally understood that you do not cross Rachel Lader - better to pretend to be her friend, than be her enemy,' Brownstein's mother wrote in the memo.

'The other girls were frankly scared of Rachel.'

Lader denied the claims in the lawsuit and argued that she was the actual target of an attack to ruin her academic record - claiming that the Brownsteins used their connections to do so.

Back in March, the university started an investigation while both girls were still in Barcelona at the request of Mr and Mrs Brownstein, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

Lader added that the allegations against her from the Brownsteins caused her to suffer migraines, anxiety and colitis which led her to be hospitalized for five days last month.

She asked a federal judge to erase the disciplinary charges against her and award damages for defamation and subsequent emotional distress.

Back in March, the university started an investigation while both girls were still in Barcelona at the request of Mr and Mrs Brownstein (pictured)

Back in March, the university started an investigation while both girls were still in Barcelona at the request of Mr and Mrs Brownstein (pictured)

Brownstein (pictured with her sister) along with her parents claimed that the bullying brought her to contemplate suicide

Brownstein (pictured with her sister) along with her parents claimed that the bullying brought her to contemplate suicide

Brownstein (above) claims that Lader bullied her while they were abroad Brownstein (above) says that she gets 'depressed' when she thinks about it

Brownstein (above) wrote in a memo: 'Rachel bullied me to the point where I had to leave in the middle of the night in an area where people get stabbed outside my building'

'This willingness of Penn State to acquiesce to the inappropriate and harmful demands of a large money donor shocks the conscience,' Maurice Mitts, Lader's lawyer, wrote in court filings earlier this week.

'Similarly, the extent to which Marc A. Brownstein is willing to pervert his power and influence as a large money Penn State donor for the purpose of intentionally harming Rachel [Lader] is equally disturbing.'

In addition, Lader claimed that Brownstein excluded herself from being around the other roommates in their apartment.

She added that the male she brought back to the room they shared in Prague was a friend from high school who happened to be locked out of his own apartment.

Lader says the male slept on the couch during his stay.

In terms of the colander full of pasta being dumped on Brownstein's bed, Lader denies doing so. But she admitted to putting an empty colander in her bed to suggest that Brownstein was not doing her share of housework.

'The alleged conduct complained of by Molly Brownstein is without any merit and is nothing more than slander and harassment by [her]and her mother to have me thrown out of school,' Lader wrote to Penn State earlier this year.

 

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Zora Stowers

Update: 2024-05-22