‘Jeopardy!’ Champion Arrested on Felony ‘Peeping’ Charges
Martin Holmes
Mon, December 8, 2025 at 10:34 AM EST
2 min read
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Two-day
Jeopardy! champion Philip Joseph “Joey” DeSena, who
appeared on the long-running game show last November, was arrested on Monday, December 1, on two felony “peeping” charges.
According to
MyFox8.com, citing a warrant filed by the Currituck County Sheriff’s Office in North Carolina, DeSena is accused of installing cameras in a victim’s bedroom and bathroom on October 10, 2025. The 43-year-old development engineer from Raleigh was taken into custody last Monday. He was not given bond.
A probable cause hearing for Desena’s case is scheduled for Wednesday, December 10.
DeSena first appeared on
Jeopardy! on November 11, 2024, winning his episode with $17,487. His debut episode featured
the controversial second and third-place tie, with both his opponents finishing on $1 after going all-in. The ruling to decide the second and third consolation prizes caused a split reaction among viewers.
The North Carolina native went on to become a two-day champion, winning his second episode on November 12, 2024, bringing his overall total to $44,698.
Joey DeSena
Wake County Sheriff’s Office
He was defeated in his third game, but returned on January 16, 2025, for the Champions Wildcard tournament, competing for a spot in the 2025 Tournament of Champions. DeSena made it to the semi-finals but was ultimately defeated by fan favorite Drew Goins and Jen Feldman.
While his episodes aired,
DeSena often shared his thoughts on the
Jeopardy! Reddit forum. In one post, he revealed the “Lorelai” he wrote on one of his Final Jeopardy! answers was a shout-out to his then-four-month-old daughter “so that she might see it years in the future and smile.”
According to
PrimeTimer, DeSena built a following in the retro-gaming world before his appearance on
Jeopardy! He was known for his work on the projects 16 Bit Gems, Apollo Z Hack, and The Video Game Years. He also ran the YouTube channel ClanOfTheGrayWolf under the name “Roo” from 2009 to 2015.
He last appeared on the show earlier this year.
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