Former Jeopardy Champion Faces 10 Child-Exploitation Charges

Former two-time Jeopardy! contestant Philip Joseph DeSena, 44, of Raleigh was arrested and charged with 10 counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor. Court records allege he possessed and duplicated images and videos depicting children ages 7 to 15 in sexually explicit situations. He is being held without bail and was on probation following a guilty plea in a separate case involving secret peeping, in which he was accused of placing cameras in a bedroom and bathroom. DeSena won two Jeopardy! games in 2024 and later competed in the show’s Champions Wildcard tournament.