Story here.  Is it possible that two graduate students and one undergraduate conspired to make false allegations against Prof. Wentworth?  Yes. Is it likely?  No, not at all.  So this seems to me an effort to intimidate the complainants, but in any case, if it moves forward, it will put the matter into the hands of real courts, which can also probe quite deeply into the plaintiffs' past.  Given that Prof. Wentworth's academic career is over unless he prevails, this gamble would make prudential sense even if he is guilty as charged.

(Thanks to Robert McGarvey for the pointer.)