2 fraternity members charged with hazing 30 pledges at UW-Madison

Two leaders of a fraternity which the University of Wisconsin suspended back in 2015 were taken to the Dane County jail after 30 young men were found filthy, partially clothed and visibly injured in the fraternity’s hot, humid basement. The pledges, most of whom were 18 years old, were apparently being subjected to a hazing ritual.

Brayden Klein and Samuel Vane, both 20, were taken to the Dane County jail and charged with hazing and disorderly conduct. Both of them posted $400 bail Thursday morning. The incident is still under investigation. 

Madison police say the pledges were found in the basement on Wednesday night. They were covered in food, condiments, and “other liquids,” police said. The basement’s temperature had been turned up to 81 degrees, making it uncomfortable and humid. A photo of the pledges shows them all confined in an area of the basement shirtless, all wearing black pants and surrounded by trash. 

The fraternity, Alpha Epsilon Pi,  still has a national chapter. Despite its suspension by the UW-Madison over a decade ago, the frat still maintained its campus house where the 30 pledges were found.

Alpha Epsilon Pi was started in 1913 as a Jewish fraternity. It has over 150 chapters open across the United States, the United Kingdom and Israel. The fraternity has included seven billionaires among its ranks including Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, as well as the founders of other prominent businesses and politicians.

In a statement, the fraternity condemned the incident and said those responsible will be expelled from the frat. “Hazing is a betrayal of everything our fraternity stands for,” it said in a statement, ABC News reported. There have been nearly 130 deaths due to hazing incidents since the year 2000.