Plea Deal for Former Basketball Coach in Transcript Scheme

MOUNT PLEASANT, NY — Westchester Community College's former head men’s basketball coach for forging college transcripts. entered a plea deal Tuesday.

Tyrone Mushatt, 44, formerly of the Bronx, New York, was involved in a scheme to provide forged transcripts of WCC basketball players to four-year colleges in an effort to fake the eligibility of the player to transfer and play ball, Westchester County District Attorney Anthony A. Scarpino, Jr. said in the announcement.

Mushatt admitted to conspiring to turn over 10 forged transcripts so the students could transfer; and, in one case, providing a forged transcript of a WCC basketball player to St John’s University.

He pleaded guilty before Judge Barry Warhit to one count of criminal possession of a forged instrument in the second degree, a class ”D” Felony, and one count of conspiracy in the fifth degree, a class “A” Misdemeanor.

He was originally charged with

• 17 counts of second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument, felonies.
• Fifth-degree conspiracy, a misdemeanor.

The institutions include St. John’s University, Quinnipiac University, Concordia College and
Florida A&M University. There is no evidence to suggest that these educational institutions were aware of the fraudulent nature of the transcripts, prosecutors said.

Mushatt either mailed, emailed, faxed or hand delivered the forged student transcripts to representatives at those schools.

The fraud came to light when the New York State Office of the Inspector General, the State University of New York Chancellor’s Office and the National Junior College Athletic Association all received information that this scheme was occurring.

The United States Department of Education also assisted in the investigation.

Westchester Community College and the other colleges and universities named above were fully cooperative throughout this investigation. The New York State Office of the Inspector General assisted in this investigation, which was conducted jointly with the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office.

Mushatt was arrested by investigators from the District Attorney’s Office on Oct. 29, 2015.

He faces up to a maximum sentence of seven years in state prison but was promised a probationary sentence, if he avoids committing any further criminal activity.

Assistant District Attorney Stephen Ronco of the Public Integrity Bureau handled the case.

SEE: Former Westchester Community College Basketball Coach ...