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A Penn State fraternity member accused of playing a key role in a cocaine trafficking operation was allegedly caught after investigators learned he was receiving drug payments through a Venmo account using a name remarkably close to his own.
According to court documents reviewed by NBC News, a confidential informant told authorities that “a male, using the nickname ‘T-Rob’ is selling large amounts of cocaine from the Delta Upsilon Fraternity House.”
The alleged dealer was reportedly using a Venmo account with the username “Tom-Robinson” to receive payments.
Investigators then searched a database for people matching the name and reportedly found Thomas Robinson, whose address was listed as the Delta Upsilon fraternity house in State College, Pennsylvania.
Authorities eventually executed a search warrant at the fraternity house in December 2024.
Robinson allegedly resisted when officers attempted to arrest him. According to the complaint, he “thought the officers were his fraternity brothers playing a prank on him.”
He was subsequently tased and taken into custody.
A search of his dorm room allegedly uncovered more than eight grams of cocaine, almost eight ounces of marijuana and more than 200 amphetamine and dextroamphetamine pills.
Investigators also allegedly found a Kimber .45-caliber handgun inside a safe positioned above his mini-fridge.
Robinson was subsequently charged over several alleged incidents between September and December 2024. The charges include drug manufacturing and delivery, criminal use of a communication facility, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
After his arrest, Robinson reportedly provided information that led investigators towards an alleged supplier, fellow Penn State student Agostino Abbatiello, who was a member of the university's Sigma Chi fraternity.
A court filing reportedly states that Abbatiello and Robinson first became acquainted through another fraternity member who was allegedly already involved in dealing drugs.
That student allegedly approached Robinson in July 2023 and asked him to become “business partners in distributing cocaine.”
The unnamed fraternity member reportedly decided to leave the alleged operation in December 2023, later telling a grand jury that Robinson had bought him out of their most recent cocaine supply.
Robinson is then alleged to have made multiple large cocaine purchases from Abbatiello between January and September 2024, including transactions worth $18,000 and $22,000.
It remains unclear whether Robinson has entered a plea. Court documents indicate he is due to appear for a pretrial hearing next month.
Meanwhile, Penn State announced that Delta Upsilon had been placed on interim suspension while the allegations are investigated. The university also said Sigma Chi is not a recognised organisation and therefore operates outside its oversight.
“We are horrified by these serious allegations against current and former students,” Penn State vice president for student affairs Andrea Dowhower said.
