A Rutgers University dean is facing serious trouble after authorities say he secretly recorded women without their knowledge.
Joshua Kohut, a high-ranking Rutgers official, was arrested after investigators discovered videos described by authorities as “upskirt” recordings.
This is obviously not the kind of campus headline anyone wants.
Kohut’s job comes with responsibility and trust. According to authorities, investigators now allege that he abused that trust in a deeply disturbing way.
And yes, there is a long list of things a university dean should be doing. Secretly filming people is not one of them.
Joshua Kohut, 51, who works as the dean of research at the university’s School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, was charged with fourth-degree invasion of privacy for allegedly filming salacious “upskirt” videos, according to a joint press release from state Attorney General Jennifer Davenport and the Division of Criminal Justice.
Kohut “is alleged to have used his mobile phone to record ‘upskirt’ videos without his victim’s knowledge,” Davenport said.
“An invasion of privacy like this is not just disturbing, it is also a criminal act. We will prosecute accordingly.”
Five devices belonging to Kohut were seized after a search warrant was executed Monday following an investigation — where videos of an unidentified person’s “undergarment-clade intimate parts” were found on one of his devices during a forensic review, according to the criminal complaint.
The alleged recordings reportedly involved victims who did not know they were being filmed.
The incident took place in New Brunswick City in Middlesex County, where one of the three regional Rutgers campuses is located, according to the complaint. The New Brunswick campus is also home to the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences.
Rutgers said it “placed Josh Kohut on administrative leave after being informed of the extremely disturbing charges,” in a statement to The Post.
“The research dean is also banned from campus pending the outcome of an investigation,” the university added.
The educator faces up to 18 months behind bars and a fine up to $10,000 if convicted.
He was released on bail, court documents indicate.
Being in a position of authority does not give anyone permission to violate another person’s privacy.
If the allegations are proven, the consequences should be serious, because there are lot of ways to make a name for yourself at a university.
Secretly filming unsuspecting people should never be one of them.
