Philip Joseph “Joey” DeSena, a resident of Raleigh, North Carolina, and two-time winner of the popular TV game show “Jeopardy!”, was arrested on December 1, 2025. The charges against DeSena, a development engineer, include two counts of felony secret peeping. He is alleged to have installed hidden cameras in a bathroom and bedroom without the consent of the occupant.
As per an arrest warrant issued by the Currituck County Sheriff’s Office, the alleged violation took place on October 10, 2025. However, the warrant was not issued until November 26. DeSena is accused of unlawfully fitting a camera in a bathroom with the intention of capturing images of another person without their knowledge. After turning himself in to authorities in Wake County, he was released from jail on December 3, having posted a $5,000 bond. The court ordered him to have no contact with the victim and required him to submit fingerprints and a DNA sample.
A probable cause hearing was scheduled for December 10 at the Currituck County Court. As of December 14, no further court proceedings have been announced. Each felony charge leveled against DeSena carries a possible jail term ranging from three to 24 months. DeSena has no serious previous criminal record.
DeSena first gained public attention when he participated in “Jeopardy!” in November 2024. He claimed victory in two consecutive games, bringing home a total prize money of $44,698. His first win on November 11, 2024, garnered him $17,487. He won again the following day but fell short in his third game. His initial episode sparked interest when both his competitors ended with $1 after betting all their money during Final Jeopardy, leading to a tie for second and third place. DeSena wore a Navy pin that had belonged to his father during his participation as a personal tribute, stating on Reddit: “This was my little way of paying tribute to him on the Alex Trebek Stage. I made it, Dad.”
In January 2025, DeSena returned to the show to compete in the Champions Wildcard Tournament, hoping to secure a spot in the 2025 Tournament of Champions. Despite delivering one of the tournament’s most impressive quarterfinal performances, correctly answering 20 out of 22 questions and successfully playing two Daily Doubles, he was eliminated in the semifinals by Drew Goins and Jen Feldman.
During his stint on the show, DeSena engaged with fans on the “Jeopardy!” Reddit forum. In one post, he clarified that he wrote “Lorelai” during a Final Jeopardy round as a message to his four-month-old daughter, “so that she might see it years in the future and smile.” DeSena also mentioned that host Ken Jennings acknowledged the Final Jeopardy question was difficult, a fact that made DeSena feel better about missing it.
DeSena had initially applied to appear on “Jeopardy!” in 2010. He waited more than ten years for his opportunity to participate, which finally came in November 2024. Both his winning games were recorded during the same morning session. Prior to his TV appearance, DeSena was known in the retro-gaming community. He contributed to projects such as 16 Bit Gems, Apollo Z Hack, and The Video Game Years. Between 2009 and 2015, DeSena operated a YouTube channel known as ClanOfTheGrayWolf under the pseudonym “Roo.”
DeSena’s arrest marks another instance of a “Jeopardy!” participant facing legal troubles. In 2025, Winston Nguyen, a former champion, received a seven-year prison sentence for pretending to be a teenager on Snapchat to procure explicit images and sexual videos from minors. In 2014, Paul Curry, another former contestant, was found guilty for the nicotine-poisoning death of his wife in 1994.
