January 1, SHOCKING: High-Ranking University Official Accused of Unspeakable Crime Against Unsuspecting Women

Wyatt’s Take

• A powerful academic administrator at a major public university is facing criminal charges for allegedly using his position and access to prey on women in one of the most disturbing ways imaginable.
• This 51-year-old dean with decades of credentials and influence now stands accused of secretly filming invasive videos of unsuspecting victims — a betrayal of trust that should shock every parent sending their kids to college.
• The case raises serious questions about who’s really being held accountable on our campuses, and whether elite institutions are doing enough to protect students and staff from predators in positions of power.

Joshua Kohut, 51, a dean at Rutgers University in New Jersey, is facing a fourth-degree invasion of privacy charge after law enforcement discovered what prosecutors describe as illegal “up-skirt” recordings on his personal electronic devices. Investigators seized the devices with a warrant.

Kohut serves as Dean of Research for the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences at Rutgers. According to his university profile and LinkedIn, he’s involved in numerous research and education programs spanning storm intensity studies, offshore wind projects, and polar ecosystem research in Antarctica.

The accused holds a Ph.D. in Physical Oceanography from Rutgers and has been a faculty member at the institution since 2008. He earned his doctorate in 2002 and has spent decades building a career in marine and coastal sciences.

Attorney General Davenport didn’t mince words about the allegations.

“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.”

If convicted, Kohut faces up to 18 months in prison and a fine of up to $10,000. The charges carry serious consequences for someone who’s spent his entire professional life in academia.

Rutgers University responded swiftly once authorities informed them of the charges. A university spokesperson confirmed the institution’s immediate action.

“The university placed Josh Kohut on administrative leave after being informed of the extremely disturbing charges. The research dean also is banned from campus pending the outcome of an investigation.”

The case highlights growing concerns about abuse of power and predatory behavior on college campuses. Parents entrust these institutions with their children’s safety and education, expecting faculty and administrators to uphold the highest standards of conduct.

Instead, this case allegedly reveals how someone in a position of authority and respect potentially exploited that trust in the most violating way possible. The victims — women who had every right to feel safe in their workplace or educational environment — now face the knowledge that their privacy may have been stolen without consent.

Wyatt Matters

Working families send their kids to college believing they’ll be safe and protected by the very people in charge. When someone with power and credentials allegedly abuses that trust, it’s a betrayal that cuts deep. This isn’t about politics — it’s about basic decency and holding predators accountable no matter how many fancy degrees they have on the wall. Every parent deserves to know their daughter is safe on campus, not being secretly victimized by someone who should be setting an example.