Update, July 13: Cipparulo waived her right to a preliminary hearing, which was scheduled for 8:30 a.m. today, July 13, according to court documents.

Her formal arraignment is set for 2 p.m. on Wednesday, August 10.

Update, June 27: Cipparulo attended her preliminary arraignment via Zoom Monday afternoon. An unsecured bail of $26,000 was set and her preliminary hearing was scheduled for Wednesday, July 6, according to court documents.

Per the nature of unsecured bail, Cipparulo does not owe money unless she fails to appear in court in the future. She wrote to Onward State that police working her case suggested unsecured bail. She did “not comment on [her] crimes or the nature of them” at the preliminary arraignment.

Original Story: Julia Cipparulo, a 2021 Penn State graduate, was charged with four third-degree felonies Friday in relation to vandalism that took place on Penn State’s campus, according to court documents.

Her charges are related to Penn State University Police incident #22UP01407, which occurred between 4 and 7:07 a.m. on May 8 on Curtin Road, which is where the Lion Shrine is located. 

The Hillsborough, New Jersey woman was charged with one count each of institutional vandalism, criminal mischief, theft by unlawful taking, and receiving stolen property. Her preliminary arraignment is set for Monday, June 27. 

In a statement sent to Onward State Friday afternoon, Cipparulo claimed to have vandalized several Penn State campus landmarks, including the Lion Shrine.

In her statement, Cipparulo called Penn State a “blueprint for mishandling, negligence, and concealing sexual abuse, hazing, and student deaths.” She stated that post-traumatic stress disorder was a factor in her decision to commit the crimes.

She said her “Time is Up” message on Old Main symbolized the death of beloved Penn State community members. She added that “FTG,” which was painted on the Hintz Family Alumni Center, stood for “For The Glory.”

“Why should we chase glory anyway? When did that become more important than the lives and well-beings of Penn State students?” Cipparulo wrote.

She also explained the “death by cop,” “death by hazing,” “death by suicide,” and “death by PSU culture” messages, which she allegedly painted onto Old Main:

Death by cop. Shot in a wellness check called in by his mother, by…”Officer 1”

Death by hazing. Forced to drink over 20 alcoholic beverages within an hour, fell down the stairs, and left to die.

Death by suicide. CAPS has months-long waitlist for therapy, and yet our head football coach is paid 7 million dollars a year.

Death by PSU culture. Justine passed away this past year, after falling 11 stories down a trash chute. The details of why she crawled into a trash chute are unknown or undisclosed, but video footage shows her acting frightened.

Cipparulo’s statement claims that four names were written behind the shrine – Osaze, Timothy, Ashley, and Justine. 

Osaze Osagie was a Black State College resident who was fatally shot three years ago by State College police while completing a mental health check. Timothy Piazza died in 2017 from a hazing incident at Beta Theta Pi fraternity. Ashley Pauls was a junior who suddenly died in February 2021. Justine Gross died after an 11-story fall down a Beaver Terrace Apartments trash chute in November 2021.

The alum claims to have lit candles at Old Main, the Bryce Jordan Center, the State College Municipal Building, Beaver Terrace Apartments, and the Beta Theta Pi house.

“They considered it an attack on the university, and failed to considered the constant attacks that the school rages against the students,” she wrote in her statement. “If vandalism is the worst attack you have faced, consider yourself blessed…It’s not enough on my part. But that broken ear is a permanent reminder of the dark side of Penn State University, the lives lost, and a warning. A warning that the deaths will continue unless massive change is enacted.”

Cipparulo alleged she experienced “repeated rape and sexual coercion” at Penn State and “nearly died” four times. Her full story is detailed in a public 32-page Google Document.

She also claimed police searched her house under a warrant. She wrote she later returned the ear of the Lion Shrine, which was stored at a different location.

Cipparulo wrote that her name would be “public record” by the end of business day Friday. Penn State police could not comment on the matter and deferred to the university’s media relations department. Penn State said the police concluded its investigation, but it is unable to comment prior to the arraignment.

According to her LinkedIn page, Cipparulo graduated with a biochemistry and molecular biology degree.

Onward State’s editorial team contributed to the reporting of this story. We will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available.