Many people, especially women, are wary of hidden cameras in rental homes and even hotel rooms. Usually that fear is unfounded, but it does happen. A two-time Jeopardy! winner just pleaded guilty after hiding cameras in the bathroom and bedroom of his rental property. Keep reading for all the details.
Jeopardy! Winner Arrested, Accused Of Hidden Cameras
A woman traveling to a wedding in Corolla, North Carolina, in October 2025, discovered something shocking in the rental property where she was staying at. She found two black USB chargers with cameras in the bathroom and the bedroom, recording her every move. She immediately called the police.
Former Jeopardy! contestant Philip Joseph “Joey” DeSena was arrested on December 1, 2025, after turning himself in. He was released from jail after posting a $5,000 bond. He was accused of “unlawfully, willfully and feloniously” for the purpose of “arousing and gratifying the sexual desire of a person,” “secretly and surreptitiously” installing cameras in the bathroom and bedroom,” according to PEOPLE magazine.
Philip Joseph “Joey” DeSena competed on Jeopardy! in November 2024. He won twice, taking home a total of $44,698. According to NJ.com, the development engineer returned for a third time in January 2026 for the Champions Wildcard Tournament. However, he lost in the semi-finals.
Two-Time Champ Pleads Guilty In Shocking Case
Philip Joseph “Joey” DeSena was charged with two counts of felony secret peeping. He was back in court on Monday, July 26. The former Jeopardy! winner pleaded guilty to both counts. PEOPLE magazine reported that he received a 60-month probationary sentence.
NJ.com reported that Philip Joseph “Joey” DeSena was active on social media while his episodes of Jeopardy! were airing. In one post, he shared that he purposely gave the wrong answer to give his daughter a shout-out on TV. “I normally am not a ‘write a shoutout during FJ’ person, but I figured that with this gift of being on the Alex Trebek stage again, I wanted to send a message to my 4-month-old daughter, Lorelei, so that she might see it years in the future and smile,” he wrote in a comment at the time.
The popular game show is on hiatus for the rest of the summer. Season 43 premieres in September. A new season of Celebrity Jeopardy! has been pushed back, which fans aren’t happy about.
Share your thoughts about the former Jeopardy! winner’s arrest and sentence. Do you think the sentence was too light or did it fit the crime? Let us know.
Jennifer Havener grew up in a small town in Upstate New York. She earned her B.A in Writing & Literature from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. She always knew watching reality TV shows and soap operas, particularly ‘Days of Our Lives’, would come in handy someday. When she’s not writing, she’s playing with her dogs, Lola and Ruger
