Baruch College Basketball Coach Admits To Embezzling From School

MURRAY HILL, NY — A former Baruch College basketball coach has admitted to embezzling more than $700,000 from the Manhattan school, prosecutors said on Wednesday.

Machli Joseph pleaded guilty to charges that he embezzled more than half a million dollars from the Manhattan college.

Joseph, 43, was arrested in February 2017.

He worked for the school between 2002 and 2016. His responsibilities included controlling the schedule for Baruch's gym, which could be rented to outside parties when not in use by student athletes.

Prosecutors said Joseph rented out Baruch's gym and pocketed the payments instead of passing along the money to the college. He took about $700,000 and used much of the money on personal expenses, including renovations to his Elizabeth, New Jersey home.

"As he admitted today, Machli Joseph, Baruch College’s former basketball coach, stole hundreds of thousands of dollars meant for Baruch that he instead spent largely on himself," Manhattan Geoffrey Berman said in a statement.

"This office is committed to ensuring that our city’s schools are not taken advantage of by the very individuals meant to support them."

Joseph pleaded guilty to conversion and misapplication of money from a program receiving federal funds. He is scheduled to be sentenced in April and faces a maximum of 10 years in prison.

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