Families say Saint Ann’s failed to act on warnings before a former math teacher posed as a teen online and shared girls’ images.
BROOKLYN, NY — Two teenagers have sued Saint Ann’s School in federal court, alleging the elite Brooklyn Heights prep school ignored warnings and mishandled reports about former math teacher Winston Nguyen, a past “Jeopardy!” champion who pleaded guilty in March 2025 to sex crimes involving minors and is serving a seven-year prison sentence.
The complaint, filed this week, revives scrutiny of the school’s hiring and response practices and ties them to Nguyen’s admitted conduct. The suit names Saint Ann’s and several current and former administrators, arguing the school had red flags before and after Nguyen joined the faculty in 2020. Nguyen posed as a teenager on Snapchat to coax explicit images and videos from girls ages 13 to 15, then shared some material among students, according to the filing and prior court records. School leaders say they dispute key claims and will contest the case. The lawsuit seeks damages and institutional reforms while Nguyen remains incarcerated and required to register as a sex offender.
According to the complaint, the plaintiffs were 13 when Nguyen contacted them on Snapchat using teen aliases during 2022–24. The girls, who attended another nearby private school at the time, say he pressured them to send sexual images and later circulated clips that surfaced on students’ phones at Saint Ann’s. The families allege parents, students and staff raised concerns about Nguyen’s conduct and online interactions before his arrest, but that responses were delayed or minimized. “No family should have to learn through their children’s classmates that a teacher was sharing sexual images,” one parent said in a statement provided by their attorney. Nguyen pleaded guilty on March 3, 2025, to charges that included use of a child in a sexual performance; he was sentenced later that month to seven years in state prison, followed by post-release supervision.
Saint Ann’s officials said in messages to the school community that the new complaint contains misrepresentations and that the school cooperated with authorities once learning of credible allegations. The suit, however, says administrators failed to thoroughly vet Nguyen’s background when he was hired and overlooked early signs reported internally. A prior outside review commissioned by the school in 2024 criticized gaps in vetting and response procedures tied to Nguyen’s tenure, according to summaries cited by the plaintiffs. The filing says Nguyen lived in school housing for part of his employment and used school resources to contact or track students, assertions the school has not publicly detailed. The complaint does not specify the total number of alleged victims but references at least half a dozen minors contacted through Snapchat. Some facts remain unknown, including the full timeline of internal reports and when officials first notified law enforcement.
Nguyen, 39, previously appeared on the TV quiz show “Jeopardy!” in 2014 before joining the faculty at Saint Ann’s. Prosecutors said he posed as a teenager online, requesting images from girls and instructing them on what to send; the plea encompassed incidents between October 2022 and May 2024. He was taken into custody in 2024 and pleaded guilty in 2025, leading to the seven-year sentence and sex-offender registration. Records indicate some of the teens involved did not attend Saint Ann’s, but the lawsuit says distribution of the images reached students there, heightening the impact inside the school community. Parents told reporters they learned pieces of the story from their children before the school issued a broader notice, and some said they felt left out of key communications.
Saint Ann’s, a private K–12 school known for arts-focused academics, has faced past questions about how it addresses misconduct claims. The plaintiffs say this case shows broader institutional failures: inadequate background checks, inconsistent documentation of complaints and a lack of timely reporting to police. In court papers, the families argue that administrators had a duty to act once warnings surfaced during Nguyen’s employment. The complaint lists negligence and related claims and asks a judge to order policy changes, training and monitoring, alongside financial damages for emotional distress and treatment costs. It was not immediately clear whether insurance would cover any portion of potential damages or defense costs.
Legal next steps include initial conferences and a schedule for producing records such as hiring files, internal emails and results of the earlier outside review. Defense responses are expected after service of the complaint. Any criminal restitution orders tied to Nguyen’s sentence would proceed separately from civil damages. If the suit survives early motions, discovery could draw testimony from former students, parents and current and former administrators, as well as data from Snapchat and other platforms. No hearing date had been set as of Friday. Nguyen remains in state custody; prison records list his earliest release date in the early 2030s, followed by supervision. The plaintiffs’ attorney said additional families may join the case as it moves forward.
Outside the school’s brick buildings near Pierrepont Street, some parents on Friday morning said they want more detail about when leaders first learned of Nguyen’s online activity. “We need transparency about the timeline,” said Elena Morales, who has a child in the middle school. A former student, now in college, said the news re-opened difficult memories: “Everyone should have felt safe here,” he said. A longtime faculty member, who spoke after drop-off, said colleagues have spent months revisiting reporting protocols and training. “There is no playbook for this kind of betrayal,” the teacher said. The school day proceeded on a normal schedule, with security posted at entrances and a steady line of families at arrival.
As of Jan. 31, the lawsuit is newly filed and the school has not yet filed its formal response. Court scheduling and initial disclosures are expected in the coming weeks, with plaintiffs seeking damages and policy reforms while Nguyen remains imprisoned.
Author note: Last updated January 31, 2026.