Rutgers Research Dean Charged With Secretly Recording Women Without Consent

Joshua Kohut, 51, of Cranberry, Pennsylvania, has been charged with fourth-degree invasion of privacy following an investigation into illegal recordings discovered on his personal electronic devices, prosecutors announced. Authorities say Kohut used his mobile phone to capture “upskirt” videos of unsuspecting victims while employed at Rutgers University’s School of Environmental and Biological Sciences.

Kohut holds the position of research dean at the institution and previously served as a professor of marine and coastal sciences since 2008. According to his academic credentials, he earned a Ph.D. in physical oceanography from Rutgers in 2002 and has been involved in numerous research initiatives focused on storm intensity, offshore wind energy, and polar ecosystem studies in Antarctica.

“The defendant is alleged to have used his mobile phone to record ‘upskirt’ videos without his victim’s knowledge. An invasion of privacy like this is not just disturbing, it is also a criminal act. We will prosecute accordingly,” New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport stated.

Kohut faces a maximum sentence of 18 months in prison and fines up to $10,000 if convicted. Rutgers University placed him on immediate administrative leave and barred him from campus pending the outcome of the investigation, according to a university spokesperson.