Cornell Student Disowned by Parents Following Viral Anti-Jewish Remarks

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

 Ithaca, New York.A 19-year-old Cornell University student has been evicted from his family home after public outrage over his refusal to work with Jewish business owners went viral online.

Austin Franco made headlines after turning down an internship offer from New York City tech company VryfID, explicitly citing the religious and ethnic background of the company’s co-founders, Gabe and Aiden Einhorn.

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Timeline of Events

• June 2026: Franco responds to an internship offer on the job platform Handshake, writing: “Not interested in working for a Jew. Thanks.”

• Viral Exposure: VryfID CEO Gabe Einhorn posts a screenshot of the exchange on X (formerly Twitter), sparking widespread national coverage and debate.

• Public Response & Crowdfunding: Franco defends his comments online, leading to public backlash as well as a short-lived online crowdfunding campaign.

• August 2026: Franco’s parents publicly condemn his actions in a statement to news outlets and require him to move out of their home.

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Family Issues Public Condemnation

Following the incident, Franco’s parents, Alexander and Diana Franco, released a statement publicly distancing themselves from their son’s views and announcing that he was no longer welcome in their Virginia home as of August 1.

His father, a patent attorney and Cornell alumnus, and his mother, a product manager, described their son’s statements as “morally repugnant.”

“We have seen our adult son fall under the influence of extremist online content. It should go without saying that the rest of our family finds the views he has expressed morally repugnant, and he did not derive them in any way from us.”

— Statement from the Franco family

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Student Responds via Online Campaign

In response to his eviction, Franco launched a separate online campaign to raise funds for his living expenses, acknowledging the rift with his family while maintaining his position.

“I have reiterated that my parents do not share my views, and it seems they no longer wish to provide me with a home to live in,” Franco wrote in a statement posted online.

While initial crowdfunding efforts garnered attention and funding from online supporters, platforms have faced increasing scrutiny over hosting campaigns associated with hate speech and discrimination.

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University and Industry Reactions

The incident has sparked renewed conversations around online radicalization among college-aged students, acceptable conduct on professional recruiting platforms like Handshake, and the role of corporate transparency when addressing discriminatory behavior during hiring processes.