How Mary Kate Cornett, an 18-Year-Old College Student, Became the Target of a Massive Misogynistic Cyberattack

While McAfee and the Barstool-affiliated commenters were the most high-profile, they were not the only sports commentators who discussed the rumors on their social media accounts and radio shows, according to the Athletic.

The result was harassment of Cornett, her boyfriend, and their families.

Per the Athletic, Cornett’s personal information was shared online and she began receiving harassing and misogynistic voicemails. Additionally, her mother’s house was “swatted,” a term referring to a particularly dangerous prank in which someone falsely reports a crime at someone’s house and an armed response is dispatched by the police as a result.

On Facebook and a GoFundMe page, Cornett and her father, Justin Cornett, posted statements both denying the rumor and detailing the harassment they’d endured because of it.

“I have been the victim of a deliberate and coordinated cyberattack spreading categorically false and defamatory information,” Cornett said in her statement. “Partially and wholly edited screenshots, fake AI generated videos and manipulated photographs have been promoted by irresponsible social media participants and amplified by thousands of fake accounts.”

She continued, “Irresponsible independent social media influencers with apparent ties to Barstool Sports and even major public figures like Antonio Brown and Pat McAfee who hosts ESPN’s College Game Day have shared these utter and complete lies with zero interest in the truth, but instead spreading outlandish conjecture. No one affiliated with these organizations ever reached out to us for comment. Most alarmingly, my personal contact information has been doxed illegally shared publicly, putting my personal safety at risk. Many notes sent suggest I even take my own life.”

In his statement on Facebook, Justin wrote that his daughter, “has been publicly doxed and our family has been forced to take protective measures to ensure her safety…At this stage, we suspect this is some sort of fraternity prank that has mushroomed out of control. I refuse to let my family be targeted and am fully committed to pursuing all criminal and civil actions available.”

The GoFundMe, both statements explained, is to fund a new foundation to provide resources to other victims of cyberattacks.

Mary Kate Cornett plans to pursue legal action.

Cornett told the Athletic that she plans to take legal action against ESPN, McAfee, and possibly others. “I would like people to be held accountable for what they’ve done,” she said. “You’re ruining my life by talking about it on your show for nothing but attention, but here I am staying up until 5 in the morning, every night, throwing up, not eating because I’m so anxious about what’s going to happen for the rest of my life.”

Cornett’s attorney, Monica Uddin, told the Athletic that they may also look into action against anyone who attempted to profit from the cyberattack through the meme coin. “This is just a Wild West version of a very familiar problem. It’s just that it’s even worse because it’s not a company. It’s an 18-year-old girl,” Uddin said.