A "Jeopardy!" champion and math teacher, arrested in front of students at an upscale private school in Brooklyn, was released without charges. However, he remains under scrutiny as investigators look into allegations that he catfished minors and shared X-rated images on social media, sources said Monday.
Winston Nguyen, 37, is still under investigation by the Brooklyn District Attorney's Office following his shock arrest last week, a spokesperson for the prosecutors said. Nguyen looked bleary-eyed on Monday as he quickly headed for the front door of his East Harlem apartment when The New York Post asked about the bombshell accusations, which have left parents at the prestigious Saint Ann's School worried.
Catfished Minors and Shared X-rated Photos
The allegations involve him sharing "inappropriate sexualized images" on social media. As the outlet approached, he kept his head down and refused to answer.
His attorney, Frank Rothman, said he expects to learn more once prosecutors complete their review of Nguyen's digital devices. "Until then, we're in limbo," he said.
"My guess is things will happen in the near future, within a week."
The still-unclear investigation became public last week when authorities arrested Nguyen at Saint Ann's, a pre-K-to-12 school with notable alumni like Lena Dunham.
Nguyen was released on Saturday without charges, as officials chose to defer prosecution pending further investigation, including examining his computer and phone, sources told The Post.
Sources indicated that Nguyen is accused of catfishing minors, but none of the alleged victims appear to be students at the school, where tuition exceeds $60,000 a year.
Bombshell Allegations
A spokeswoman for the school told the Daily Beast, which first reported the arrest, that Nguyen has been placed on leave. Saint Ann's Head of School, Kenyatte Reid, informed parents that the investigation involved "inappropriate sexualized images," according to the Daily Beast.
Reid urged families with information related to Winston's conduct "or any suspicious activity on Snapchat or any social media" to contact the DA's office, according to a memo reported by the Daily Beast.
This arrest isn't Nguyen's first time in the spotlight.
Nguyen appeared in two "Jeopardy!" episodes in 2014 and was later arrested for stealing more than $300,000 from a 96-year-old blind man and his 92-year-old wife—a crime for which he served time on Rikers Island.
His status as an ex-con had already raised concerns among Saint Ann's families, a worried parent told The Post.
"A lot of parents are deeply shocked and angry about this — that the school had allowed a convicted felon to become a teacher," the parent said.
"People heard about his past when he was first hired in 2020 but it was during Covid and he was support staff rather than actually teaching so I think parents let it pass. It's a school that tries to be very inclusive and progressive, and that philosophy clearly underlay the decision to give Nguyen a second chance – but it certainly backfired this time."
