Former Saint Ann's instructor Winston Nguyen faces federal lawsuit over misconduct

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Two teenage women say a former teacher linked to a $63,000-a-year Brooklyn personal college threatened them with a "revenge porn blast," exposing nude photographs after allegedly coercing them for express pictures, based on a newly filed federal lawsuit.

The lawsuit accuses Winston Nguyen, a former instructor at Saint Ann’s College, of soliciting nude pictures and movies from the women once they had been simply 13 years outdated and later sharing the fabric with college students.

Nguyen pleaded responsible final yr to a felony cost and a number of misdemeanors and is now serving a seven-year jail sentence, based on the Brooklyn District Lawyer's Workplace.

The civil grievance, filed Thursday in federal courtroom, names Saint Ann’s College, a number of directors and Nguyen as defendants. The ladies, who weren't college students at Saint Ann’s, allege school leaders had been negligent and didn't act regardless of repeated warning indicators about Nguyen’s conduct.

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Winston Nguyen seems in Brooklyn Supreme Courtroom, March 19, 2025, in Brooklyn. Nguyen has been sentenced to 7 years in jail for tricking a number of youngsters underneath the age of 13 into sending him sexually promiscuous pictures, amongst different unlawful actions. Two sufferer's affect statements had been learn into the document, however the victims weren't in courtroom. He additionally had the remnants of a black eye as a result of his lawyer stated that he was crushed up whereas incarcerated. (Gregory P. Mango)

Nguyen, 39, was arrested in June 2024 exterior the Brooklyn Heights campus. He pleaded responsible to utilizing a baby in a sexual efficiency and 5 misdemeanor counts.

Saint Ann’s, an elite private school that prices roughly $60,000 a yr in tuition and is thought for top Ivy League acceptance charges and attendees that embody celebrities, artists and Wall Road executives, has been surrounded by scandal for practically two years.

The lawsuit marks the primary time a few of Nguyen’s victims have publicly shared their accounts.

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Brooklyn District Lawyer Eric Gonzalez stated Nguyen betrayed his place of belief by focusing on teenage victims from a number of elite unbiased colleges.

In accordance with prosecutors, Nguyen used the messaging app Snapchat to pose as a teenage boy and interact minors in sexually express conversations, persuading them to ship nude photographs and movies. The victims had been between 13 and 15 years outdated, and the crimes occurred between October 2022 and Could 2024, the DA’s workplace stated.

In accordance with the grievance, obtained by the New York Times , the women say they felt pressured to conform as a result of they believed Nguyen was a peer with social affect related to Saint Ann’s college students.

"This was a sickening betrayal of belief by a schoolteacher who solicited college students into sending him graphic and nude pictures," Gonzalez stated at sentencing. "Right now’s sentencing holds him accountable for his actions whereas sparing the younger and susceptible victims from having to relive this emotional abuse in courtroom."

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On this picture illustration, a cell phone display shows the Snapchat brand in entrance of a keyboard. (Muhammed Enes Yildirim / Anadolu Company by way of Getty Photos)

After the women reduce off contact, Nguyen allegedly shared their nude photographs with different college students.

The lawsuit claims Saint Ann’s management was alerted twice in early 2024 that explicit images of young girls had been circulating amongst college students on Snapchat however didn't notify police or intervene past inner conferences.

"Solely the college knew about each the revenge porn circulating and Nguyen’s historical past of misconduct," the grievance states.

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Winston Nguyen seems in Brooklyn Supreme Courtroom, March 19, 2025, in Brooklyn. Nguyen has been sentenced to 7 years in jail for tricking a number of youngsters underneath the age of 13 into sending him sexually promiscuous pictures, amongst different unlawful actions. Two sufferer's affect statements had been learn into the document, however the victims weren't in courtroom. He additionally had the remnants of a black eye as a result of his lawyer stated that he was crushed up whereas incarcerated. (Gregory P. Mango)

Saint Ann’s directors knew when Nguyen was employed in 2020 that he had beforehand served time in jail, based on the grievance. The New York Occasions reported in December 2024 that at the least one employees member warned in opposition to hiring Nguyen, citing his legal historical past involving monetary exploitation of an aged couple.

Nguyen was initially employed as a clerk earlier than turning into a center college math instructor. College officers allegedly knew he slept on campus, gave college students items and snacks, and searched for college students on social media.

Mother and father, academics and college students who raised issues had been allegedly dismissed or "shamed" for being "racist or not progressive," based on a 2024 legislation agency report commissioned by the college. Nguyen is the son of Vietnamese immigrants.

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After the lawsuit was filed within the Jap District of New York, Saint Ann’s leaders despatched a letter to the college neighborhood disputing the allegations.

"The grievance consists of a number of misrepresentations of Saint Ann’s function, and we are going to handle and dispute this delicate matter by way of the suitable authorized channels," Head of College Kenyatte Reid and Board of Trustees President Mary Watson wrote, including they had been "concern[ed] for all victims impacted by Nguyen’s actions."

The ladies’ legal professional, Joshua Perry, stated the proof will present Saint Ann’s management repeatedly ignored warning indicators about Nguyen’s conduct.

"The varsity ignored each warning signal and coddled a recognized predator," Perry informed Fox Information Digital.

Perry stated Saint Ann’s knew Nguyen had a previous conviction involving susceptible victims, knew he was grooming college students with items, interacting with them on social media, violating boundaries by visiting their houses and internet hosting unauthorized periods with college students on campus.

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Winston Nguyen attends the New York collection premiere of "metropolis.ballet." at Tribeca Cinemas on November 4, 2013, in New York Metropolis. (Mireya Acierto/FilmMagic)

"These aren’t simply my guesses," Perry stated. "The varsity’s personal inner investigator, the legislation agency Debevoise and Plimpton, discovered all these details. However the college nonetheless refuses to simply accept any accountability."

Perry additionally pushed again on options that the hurt to his purchasers is merely alleged, noting Nguyen’s responsible plea.

"It’s not simply alleged. Nguyen pled responsible, and Jane and Joan’s affect statements had been learn at his sentencing," he stated.

Perry stated the women, recognized in courtroom filings as Jane and Joan, had been deeply traumatized.

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Women at Saint Ann's College in Brooklyn Heights had been threatened in a "revenge porn" lawsuit. (Google Maps)

"They had been devastated. Depressed. Anxious. Terrified. Ashamed," Perry stated. "However they’re extremely courageous younger ladies, and so they’re combating again."

Nguyen’s legal professional, Frank Rothman, informed The New York Occasions that his consumer is penniless and incarcerated however acknowledged potential legal responsibility for the college.

"At a minimal, they need to have stopped to suppose, ‘Is that this the person for the job?’" Rothman stated.

Saint Ann’s has confronted earlier sexual misconduct allegations. In 2019, the college acknowledged that 19 former employees members could have engaged in inappropriate conduct with college students.

Statements from the women had been learn at Nguyen’s sentencing listening to final yr.

"Photographs of me as a unadorned preteen will without end be on the web," one wrote. "You ruined my life, broke my capability to belief, and damage any probability at loving myself."

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Perry stated he hopes further victims will come ahead however accused Saint Ann’s of discouraging them.

"Saint Ann’s has a observe document of bullying and intimidating victims," he stated. "However Jane and Joan are combating again and different younger ladies can, too."

Perry stated he's searching for accountability from Saint Ann’s management, accusing college officers of minimizing accountability.

"Saint Ann’s turned a predator free on Brooklyn’s youngsters," he stated. "They don’t get to cover of their ivory tower."

Fox Information Digital reached out to Saint Ann’s College and Nguyen’s lawyer for remark.

Stepheny Worth covers crime, together with lacking individuals, homicides and migrant crime. Ship story tricks to stepheny.value@fox.com.

Stepheny Worth is a Author at Fox News with a concentrate on West Coast and Midwest information, lacking individuals, nationwide and worldwide crime tales, murder instances, and border safety.