A Rutgers University dean and longtime professor was arrested and charged with invasion of privacy after prosecutors alleged he used a cellphone to secretly record "upskirt" videos of another person while working at the New Jersey school.
Joshua Kohut, 51, of Cranbury, New Jersey, was arrested on Aug. 25 and charged with fourth-degree invasion of privacy, the New Jersey Attorney General's Office said in a news release. Prosecutors alleged that Kohut used a cellphone to record videos of a victim's "undergarment-clad intimate parts" without consent.
Following an investigation into Kohut, prosecutors said a search warrant was executed at his residence on Aug. 24. Authorities found multiple electronic devices at his home, including one allegedly containing
"upskirt" videos of the victim.
"The defendant is alleged to have used his mobile phone to record 'upskirt' videos without his victim's knowledge," Attorney General Jennifer Davenport said in a statement announcing the charge. "An invasion of privacy like this is not just disturbing, it is also a criminal act."
Authorities have not publicly identified the alleged victim, and it was not immediately clear whether the person was affiliated with the university. Prosecutors asked anyone who believes they may have been a victim or has information about the case to contact state investigators.
If convicted, Kohut could face up to 18 months in prison and a fine of up to $10,000 under New Jersey law, according to prosecutors.
Who is Joshua Kohut?
Kohut has been affiliated with Rutgers University for nearly three decades, according to his faculty biography on the school's website. He started at the New Brunswick campus in 1997 as a doctoral student in physical oceanography, earned his Ph.D. in 2002 and went on to lead the Rutgers Center for Ocean Observing Leadership.
He later served as an assistant professor beginning in 2008, an associate professor from 2014 to 2019, and a full professor since 2019, his faculty biography shows. In 2025, Kohut became the dean of research for the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences and director of research for the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station.
Kohut, who grew up in New Jersey, said his interest in the physics of the ocean began along the shores of Barnegat Bay. According to his faculty biography, his research focuses on the use of ocean-observing technologies to study coastal ocean processes and marine ecosystems.
"I am involved in many research and education programs that range in scope from storm intensity, offshore wind, and local water quality monitoring off the NJ coast; regional fisheries along the US east coast; and environmental studies of polar ecosystems in the coastal waters surrounding Antarctica," he wrote on his biography page.
A spokesperson for Rutgers University told NorthJersey.com, part of the USA TODAY Network, that Kohut was put on administrative leave after officials learned of "the extremely disturbing charges." Kohut has also been banned from the campus, pending the outcome of the investigation.
What is 'upskirting'?
"Upskirting" is the act of secretly taking photographs or videos underneath a person's clothing without that person's knowledge or consent, typically to capture images of underwear or intimate body areas. The conduct is generally considered a form of voyeurism and an invasion of privacy.
In New Jersey, state law makes it a crime to photograph, film, videotape, record, or otherwise reproduce an image of another person's "undergarment-clad intimate parts" without consent and under circumstances in which a reasonable person would not expect those areas to be observed.
States differ in how they prosecute upskirting, but many have enacted laws that criminalize the secret recording of a person's intimate areas without consent, according to legal experts. Such offenses are commonly prosecuted under voyeurism or invasion-of-privacy statutes, though some states have adopted laws specifically targeting upskirting.
Contributing: John Connolly, NorthJersey.com
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rutgers University dean arrested, accused of taking 'upskirt' videos
