An 18-year-old Yale student has been arrested and charged in connection with an alleged sexual assault that occurred on a crowded Manhattan subway train in late June. The New York City Police Department confirmed the arrest of Ari Shtein, a resident of Washington, D.C., who was taken into custody on July 8. Shtein faces a slate of serious charges, including first-degree sexual abuse, third-degree aggravated sexual abuse, forcible touching on a bus or train, third-degree sexual abuse, and four counts of endangering the welfare of a child, according to court records.
Incident Details Emerge
The alleged incident took place on June 28, around 3 p.m., aboard a northbound R train as it approached the West 28th Street and Broadway station in Manhattan. Police reported that a 30-year-old woman stated she was sexually assaulted during the commute. Following the alleged assault, the woman exited the train at the station and was taken by emergency medical services to a local hospital for treatment. The suspect, identified as Shtein, reportedly remained on the train.
Defense Vigorously Denies Allegations
Ari Shtein has pleaded not guilty to all charges. His arraignment was presided over by Judge Ilona B. Coleman, and he was subsequently released on his own recognizance. Shtein is expected to appear again in New York Criminal Court on August 26.
Priya Chaudhry, Shtein’s attorney, issued a strong denial of the accusations, characterizing them as false. “Every strap-hanger has encountered unhinged people on the subway. Unfortunately, when Ari visited our City, it was his turn,” Chaudhry stated. She asserted that her client did not assault anyone and was merely visiting bookstores with a friend when the accusation arose. “Ari did not assault anyone. He was visiting bookstores with a friend when his life was turned upside down by a woman who falsely accused him of a vile crime,” the statement continued. Chaudhry emphasized the damage to Shtein’s reputation, noting he has been “labelled a creep and convicted in the court of public opinion” before any evidence has been presented.
Challenging the Physical Impossibility
Furthermore, Chaudhry questioned the plausibility of the alleged conduct based on the accuser’s own account of events. “The allegation is nonsense. On the woman’s own version of events, she would have had to have been wearing a swimsuit for the alleged conduct to have been physically possible,” she argued. She also highlighted the crowded conditions of the subway car at the time, appealing to potential witnesses. “The subway car was packed. If you were on that train, and witnessed this woman’s behavior, please contact my firm.”
Yale Daily News Takes Action
At the time of his arrest, Ari Shtein was listed as a staff columnist for the Yale Daily News opinion desk, with his most recent contribution published in May. In response to the charges, the Yale Daily News announced it has suspended Shtein indefinitely from the publication. Asher Boiskin, the Editor in Chief of the Yale Daily News, released a statement confirming the decision. “We have seen the disturbing reports regarding his arrest,” Boiskin said. “We have made the decision to indefinitely suspend Mr. Shtein from the paper pending the results of the legal process.”
Past Writings Surface
In a post on his Substack, titled “Mistakes Were Made,” dated October 2025, Shtein had previously written critically about mandatory campus sexual misconduct training. He argued that such programs were largely ineffective and cited research suggesting they had minimal impact on preventing sexual violence.
Representatives for the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office and the Yale Daily News were contacted for comment regarding the ongoing case and the publication’s decision.
