Leader of Penn State cocaine trafficking ring surrenders

(NewsNation) — The 24-year-old leader of a cocaine trafficking ring involving 13 former Penn State University students and fraternity members surrendered to authorities Tuesday. Agostino Abbatiello, a former senior member of the Sigma Chi fraternity, is charged with multiple counts of cocaine possession with intent to deliver and conspiracy. A district judge denied him bail at arraignment. Abbatiello and 13 other defendants, who were Penn State University students at or around the time of the alleged conduct in 2023 and 2024, were charged Monday. According to an investigation, Abbatiello and Delta Upsilon senior fraternity member Thomas Robinson were the main suppliers for the organization. A release from the Pennsylvania Attorney General said they regularly visited Philadelphia and New York to pick up "large quantities of cocaine" that were then cut and packaged at the Delta Upsilon and Sigma Chi fraternity houses and sold to students primarily through Snapchat.Investigators believe the operation made hundreds of thousands of dollars. According to a statement from Delta Upsilon fraternity executive director Justin Kirk, the fraternity had been previously made aware of the charges and taken action.  "The individuals associated with Delta Upsilon have either been expelled, suspended or resigned. We will continue to work closely with the university on any investigative efforts," the statement read. Abbatiello, Robinson, Mohammed Hurabi and Lars Zeepvat are charged with cor…