A former Jeopardy! champion and teacher at a ritzy New York City private school has been arraigned for disgusting crimes against children.
Winston Nguyen, a 37-year-old ex-con, has been arrested in Brooklyn on charges related to child pornography.
Nguyen, who appeared twice on the popular quiz show and won one episode, surrendered to authorities following an investigation into accusations involving x-rated photos of minors.
Prosecutors revealed that Nguyen catfished young students, tricking them into sending him explicit photos of themselves.
He was pictured in Brooklyn Criminal Court with his attorney Franklin Rothman on Thursday after posting $30,000 bail.
Winston Nguyen, a 37-year-old former Jeopardy! champion, has been arrested in Brooklyn on charges related to child pornography
Nguyen, who appeared twice on the popular quiz show and won one episode, surrendered to authorities following an investigation into accusations involving x-rated photos of minors
Nguyen taught math at St. Ann’s School, pictured, a $60,000-a-year private school in the upmarket Brooklyn Heights area of the borough
The former teacher now faces 30 charges, including using a child in a sexual performance and promoting a sexual performance by a child.
Prosecutors allege that Nguyen, a former math teacher at the prestigious Saint Ann’s School in Brooklyn Heights, targeted six students from elite schools.
According to the charges, Nguyen used Snapchat to communicate with students, posing as a teenager at least 11 times in an attempt to solicit explicit photos.
Law enforcement officials have seized Nguyen’s phone and other devices, which allegedly contain images of several minors.
Nguyen’s dramatic arrest occurred in June, reportedly in front of students.
Nguyen has also found himself in legal jeopardy in the past.
He was pictured in Brooklyn Criminal Court with his attorney Franklin Rothman on Thursday after posting $30,000 bail
Prosecutors revealed that Nguyen catfished young students, tricking them into sending him explicit photos of themselves
The former teacher now faces 30 charges, including using a child in a sexual performance and promoting a sexual performance by a child
Prosecutors allege that Nguyen, a former math teacher at the prestigious Saint Ann’s School in Brooklyn Heights, targeted six students from elite schools
According to the charges, Nguyen used Snapchat to communicate with students, posing as a teenager at least 11 times in an attempt to solicit explicit photos
Nguyen’s dramatic arrest occurred in June, reportedly in front of students
Nguyen has also found himself in legal jeopardy in the past
In 2019, Nguyen was jailed on Rikers Island for four months after he stole $300,000 from a 96-year-old blind man and his 92-year-old wife, both of whom have since died.
He was hired in 2009 to assist the blind man and his wife with day-to-day tasks.
He used the cash to pay for expensive ballet tickets, Broadway shows, and trips to Florida with his friends – all on his unsuspecting employer’s dime.
He worked for the pair for six years until he was finally arrested after the couple’s daughter-in-law found he had stolen from them.
Nguyen would use the couple’s bank account and credit cards making $100,000 in purchases and cash withdrawals.
He wrote himself $200,000 in checks and then opened up lines of credit using their information to the tune of $35,000.
Nguyen had been working as a home aide for a couple in their 90s. when he stole $300,000
Nguyen stole from Bernard and Florence Stoll. Bernard died in November 2019. Florence in November 2018
Nguyen used his money to buy pricey ballet tickets and Broadway shows. He is seen at the New York City Ballet Spring Gala in May 2017
He was able to mask the theft by changing the address on the couple’s bank statements to his own home address. He then doctored the statements to remove any of the fraudulent purchases.
Any calls from the banks asking about the money were also blocked after Nguyen placed a bar on the couple’s phone.
Following the discovery of the theft, Nguyen pleaded not guilty to 32 counts of grand larceny, possession of stolen property and identity theft.
He served jail time and probation while also being ordered to pay the money back.
Just three years later, Nguyen was teaching at the private school despite administrators being fully aware of his criminal record.
