Independent archive. Not affiliated with UW–Madison or Alpha Epsilon Pi. Arrests are not convictions.

Independent Case Archive

Hazing by
UW–Madison
Students

Charged with lesser crimes. Must hold them fully accountable.

Documenting the police findings, university response and public reporting surrounding the September 23, 2026 hazing incident at the Alpha Epsilon Pi house near UW–Madison.

~30
young men found in the basement
18
age of most pledges
81°F
basement thermostat setting
2
chapter officers arrested

The Incident

What happened?

On the night of Wednesday, September 23, 2026, Madison police received an anonymous tip about a hazing event at the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity house on Langdon Street. Inside the basement, officers found around 30 partially clothed young men covered in food, condiments and other liquids.

Most were 18 years old. Police said several had fresh red marks consistent with being physically assaulted, and the thermostat had been set to 81 degrees, creating a hot and humid room. Officers declared the event unlawful, escorted everyone outside and checked the pledges for injuries. No one was taken for medical treatment.

The chapter's president and vice president were arrested on suspicion of hazing and disorderly conduct. The Dane County District Attorney's Office will decide whether to file formal charges.

The chapter has not been recognized by UW–Madison since 2015, but remains chartered by its national organization, which has since ordered it to cease all activities pending investigation.

Background: blurred photograph released by Madison Police, Sep 24, 2026.

The Two Alleged

Hazing “Brothers”

Madison police arrested two students the night of the incident: the chapter's president Brayden J. Klein and vice president Samuel N. Vane. Both are 20 years old and were booked on tentative charges of hazing and disorderly conduct, both misdemeanors. Both were booked into the Dane County Jail and released within hours on a $400 bond. As of September 25, no formal charges had been filed; the Dane County District Attorney's Office decides whether to file them.

Photograph of Brayden J. Klein, supplied to this archiveCase Archive

Brayden J. Klein

Age 20
HazingDisorderly conductMisdemeanor

Brayden Klein, AEPi president, was arrested the night of September 23. Booked into the Dane County Jail on LESSER tentative charges of hazing and disorderly conduct, released within hours on a $400 bond.

Position
Chapter President
Name
Brayden J. Klein
Major
Consumer Behavior and Marketplace Studies
LinkedIn
in/brayden-klein-072aa3326
Instagram
Not released
Facebook
Not released
Email
Not released
Bond
Released on $400 bond

Employment

Released on $400 bond · DA review pending

Photograph of Samuel N. Vane, supplied to this archiveCase Archive

Samuel N. Vane

Age 20
HazingDisorderly conductMisdemeanor

Samuel Vane, AEPi vice-president, was arrested the night of September 23. Booked into the Dane County Jail on LESSER tentative charges of hazing and disorderly conduct, released within hours on a $400 bond.

Position
Chapter Vice President
Name
Samuel N. Vane
Major
Political Sciences
LinkedIn
Not released
Instagram
Not released
Facebook
facebook.com/profile.php?id=61561497074379
Email
Not released
Bond
Released on $400 bond

Employment

  • No Current Employment Identified

Released on $400 bond · DA review pending

Position and the $400 bond come from the police report and the Dane County Sheriff's Office. Both officers are named in the police report: Brayden J. Klein and Samuel N. Vane. The majors, the LinkedIn profile, the Facebook profile, the photograph and the employment listing were supplied to this archive; none of them comes from a police record. Instagram and email are not public for either student, and this archive will not publish contact details of students who have not been formally charged.

An arrest is not a conviction. Both students are presumed innocent unless and until formal charges are filed and proven in court.

Chronology

Timeline

  1. 2013

    UW–Madison suspends the AEPi chapter for alcohol-related violations.

  2. 2015

    The university terminates the chapter's status after it continues holding events while suspended.

  3. Sep 23, 2026 · 8:20 PM

    Madison police respond to an anonymous tip at the AEPi house on the 100 block of Langdon Street. About 30 partially clothed young men are found in the basement, covered in food, condiments and liquids.

  4. Sep 23, 2026

    Officers declare the event unlawful. The chapter's president and vice president, both 20, are arrested on tentative charges of hazing and disorderly conduct (misdemeanors).

  5. Sep 23, 2026 · later that night

    Both officers are booked into the Dane County Jail and released within hours on a $400 bond, according to the Dane County Sheriff's Office.

  6. Sep 24, 2026

    MPD holds a press conference and releases a blurred photo. UW–Madison says its Office of Student Conduct will investigate implicated students.

  7. Sep 25, 2026

    AEPi national headquarters issues a cease-and-desist suspending all chapter programming. As of that morning, no formal charges had been filed.

Documents & Evidence

Materials

Every record and image this archive is built on, in one place. Nothing here originates with this site — each item is a public record or published reporting, linked to where it was released.

Not available yet
  • Court filings — no formal charges had been filed as of September 25, 2026.
  • Photographs of the two arrested students — none has been released by police or the university.
  • University disciplinary outcome — the conduct office investigation was still open.
  • Photos or video from inside the basement — only the blurred image MPD released.

Items are added only when they come from police records, the university or published reporting.

Case File

Sources