Fraternity Pledge Describes Brutal Torture at the Hands of Hollywood Actor Jon Hamm
A former fraternity pledge has come forward with a harrowing account of the torture he allegedly suffered at the hands of Hollywood actor Jon Hamm. Mark Allen Sanders’ disturbing testimony details how he was beaten, humiliated, and left with severe internal damage during a hazing ritual at the University of Texas at Austin in 1990.
According to court documents obtained by DailyMail.com, Sanders was a young pledge at the Sigma Nu fraternity when he was subjected to a series of brutal and degrading acts by Hamm and six other fraternity brothers. Hamm, who was the ringleader of the group, allegedly beat Sanders with a paddle, dragged him around a room by his genitals, and set his pants on fire. The abuse left Sanders with a broken spine, kidney damage, and severe internal injuries.
In a transcript of his testimony, obtained by DailyMail.com and our columnist Maureen Callahan, Sanders describes the moment when Hamm hit him with a paddle: "He hits me right over my right kidney. I mean, square over it. Good, solid hit. And that stood me up… I’m hurting bad. I mean, being hit right where the kidney is, it’s killing me." Sanders also recounts how Hamm and another fraternity member wrenched his underwear and moved it back and forth in a painful sawing motion, causing him excruciating pain.
The ordeal did not end there, with Sanders forced to cram into a dirty, confined space known as "the pit" and perform pushups. He describes how Hamm pushed his face into the dirt and then left him alone in the pit. "This is when Jon Hamm pulls out a lighter, and he puts his lighter on. And I was wearing designer jeans, and I have this loop on the front, and he took the lighter and caught that on fire," Sanders explained. "My head is down. I mean, my chin is in the chest at this point, I see him light the lighter and put it to my pants… I was kind of panicking, because I was wearing a cotton t-shirt. I actually tried to put it out with my hands, and Jon Hamm wouldn’t let me. He made me blow it out with my mouth."
Hamm’s abuse of Sanders was not an isolated incident. The fraternity chapter was eventually disbanded after a police inquiry, and several fraternity members were charged with hazing. Students Matthew Dennis, Richard Asel, Todd Bowden, and Christopher Temple pleaded no contest to hazing charges and received jail time, fines, and probationary sentences. Hamm was also charged with assault, but the charge was dismissed, and he completed a period of probation instead of receiving a conviction for hazing.
In 2018, Hamm briefly addressed the reports, calling them "sensationalized" without issuing a flat-out denial. DailyMail.com has contacted Hamm’s representative for comment, but so far, no response has been received. Sanders later launched a lawsuit against Sigma Nu, seeking "unspecified actual and exemplary damages for willful and wanton misconduct." The lawsuit was dismissed with the agreement of both parties, possibly signaling that an out-of-court settlement had been reached.
The allegations against Hamm have resurfaced in light of his recent success, including an appearance on Saturday Night Live and a hit AppleTV show. As the allegations continue to garner attention, it remains to be seen how Hamm’s career will be impacted by the disturbing claims made by Sanders. One thing is certain, however: the horrific account of Sanders’ experience serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of hazing and the devastating consequences that can result from such brutal and degrading acts. According to DailyMail.com, the incident has left a lasting impact on Sanders, who has spoken out about the incident in the hopes of preventing similar incidents from occurring in the future.
