Three-time “Jeopardy!” winner Philip Joseph DeSena has pleaded guilty to a pair of felony secret peeping charges, according to reports.
DeSena “unlawfully, willfully and feloniously” — and for the purpose of “arousing and gratifying the sexual desire of a person” — “secretly and surreptitiously” installed cameras in the bathroom and bedroom at a rental property in Corolla, North Carolina, per an indictment obtained by People. He was initially charged back in December, after a victim came forward with the allegations against him.
She told authorities she traveled to the area for a wedding and that she discovered two black USB wall chargers with cameras when she arrived at her rented residence on Oct. 10, Wavy reported. Investigators quickly determined that DeSena had captured images of the victim without her consent after searching through the devices.
The “Jeopardy!” winner surrendered to police several weeks later on Dec.1, after learning there was a warrant out for his arrest. Police said he confessed to the crimes and was cooperative with their investigation. He spent two nights in jail and was then released on $5,000 bond.
On Monday, DeSena copped to the charges against him as part of a plea deal that allowed him to avoid registering as a sex offender. He was also sentenced to a 60-month probationary sentence.
DeSena, a development engineer, won on two regular season episodes of “Jeopardy!” in November 2024, taking home a total of $44,698, Entertainment Weekly reported. He later returned for the “Champions Wildcard Tournament” in January 2025, where he competed for a place in the “Tournament of Champions,” winning one quarterfinal game before ultimately losing in the semifinals.