Editor’s Note: This piece includes descriptions of sexual assault that some readers may find distressing.
Paulo Kretteis, a former member of the Class of 2022, was convicted last Thursday in a London court of two counts of rape and making a threat to kill. He will be sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court at a later date, according to a release from The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).
Kretteis had been expelled in spring 2019 after a Title IX investigation determined he raped a classmate, according to documentation viewed by The Daily Princetonian.
The recent conviction in England relates to two separate incidents which occurred in October and December 2019, months after his expulsion.
“Paulo Kretteis charmed his victims and lulled them into a false sense of security, before carrying out violent sexual attacks,” according to Kate Shilton from the CPS.
Kretteis was initially linked to these crimes in February 2020 after a forensic investigation concluded that his DNA was on fibers from the first victim’s jacket, and he was charged in June 2020.
Video surveillance footage also showed him at the scene wearing a Princeton University jersey, though Kretteis claimed the individual pictured was not him according to the release.
“[Kretteis said] he had never styled his hair in a man bun. But his Instagram posts showed otherwise,” Shilton said.
“The Princeton University top worn by Kretteis on the night of the attack was also found at his home address,” she added.
Kretteis’ solicitors at Shafi Solicitors did not reply to a request for comment. The ‘Prince’ was directed to them by clerks at Lamb Building, where Tamasin Graham, who briefly represented Kretteis, works.
A jersey Kretteis wore on the night of one attack that was later found at his home.
Courtesy of Crown Prosecution Service London.
According to his LinkedIn, Kretteis was studying Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University. Following his expulsion, Kretteis played professional rugby in London for the Ealing Trailfinders.
According to documentation viewed by the ‘Prince,’ Kretteis was expelled from the University after a Title IX investigation determined he kissed and engaged in sexual intercourse with a classmate who was incapacitated and unable to give consent. These acts of non-consensual sexual contact and non-consensual sexual penetration occurred in January 2019. Kretteis’ expulsion was to initially take effect in April 2019 but instead occurred in May following a failed appeal attempt on his part.
Deputy University Spokesperson Michael Hotchkiss wrote in a statement to the ‘Prince’ that “[t]he University cannot comment on specific disciplinary matters,” but he confirmed the timeline of Kretteis’ enrollment, stating that he “was enrolled as an undergraduate student between September 2018 and May 2019 and is no longer enrolled at the University.”
Hotchkiss added that the University is “committed to ensuring that all of its members can learn, work, and thrive in a safe, supportive, and fair environment, free from sexual misconduct.”
“There are many on and off-campus resources for those who have experienced sexual misconduct, and individuals who have experienced sexual misconduct are encouraged to consult with a confidential resource or other support organization,” he wrote.
Managing Editor Zachary Shevin and Head News Editor Caitlin Limestahl contributed reporting.
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