Two women have sued Saint Ann’s School and administrators, alleging a former teacher coerced nude photos from them at age 13 and then circulated the images. Winston Nguyen pleaded guilty to using a child in a sexual performance and multiple misdemeanors and is serving seven years. The plaintiffs say the school was warned in early 2024 about explicit images circulating but did not notify police. Their attorney points to internal reports and prior warnings as evidence the school failed to protect students.
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Two women have filed a federal lawsuit accusing a former instructor connected to Saint Ann’s School — an elite Brooklyn private school — of coercing them into sending nude photos when they were 13 and later circulating those images among students in what the plaintiffs describe as a "revenge porn blast."
The complaint names 39-year-old Winston Nguyen, Saint Ann’s School and several administrators as defendants. Nguyen pleaded guilty last year to a felony charge of using a child in a sexual performance and five misdemeanors; he is serving a seven-year prison sentence, the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office said.
Filed Thursday in the Eastern District of New York, the civil suit alleges the plaintiffs were pressured into sending explicit photos after Nguyen posed as a teenage boy on Snapchat and engaged minors in sexually explicit conversations. Prosecutors say Nguyen solicited images from victims aged 13 to 15 between October 2022 and May 2024.
In this photo illustration, a mobile phone screen displays the Snapchat logo in front of a keyboard.(Getty Images)
The plaintiffs — identified in court filings as "Jane" and "Joan" — say they were not students at Saint Ann’s but believed Nguyen had social influence tied to the school, which contributed to their feeling of coercion. After contact ended, the complaint alleges Nguyen circulated their images among students.
Allegations Against The School
The lawsuit contends that school leaders were notified twice in early 2024 that explicit images of young girls were circulating on Snapchat but did not notify police and limited their response to internal discussions. Plaintiffs and their attorney argue the school knew of warning signs about Nguyen’s behavior and failed to protect vulnerable young people.
An independent report commissioned by the school and produced by the law firm Debevoise & Plimpton is cited by the plaintiffs as corroborating evidence that concerns were dismissed or deflected. The complaint also notes that when Nguyen was hired in 2020, at least one staff member warned against his employment because of a prior criminal history involving financial exploitation of an elderly couple.
Winston Nguyen attends the premiere of "city.ballet." at Tribeca Cinemas on Nov. 4, 2013, in New York City.
“This was a sickening betrayal of trust by a schoolteacher who solicited students into sending him graphic and nude photos,” Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said at sentencing, describing Nguyen’s conduct as a violation of trust toward teen victims.
According to the complaint, school staff knew Nguyen slept on campus, gave students gifts and snacks, searched for students on social media and visited students’ homes. Parents, teachers and students who raised concerns were allegedly dismissed or shamed, the suit says. The complaint also recalls a 2019 school disclosure that 19 former staff members may have engaged in inappropriate conduct with students.
Responses And Next Steps
Saint Ann’s leaders disputed elements of the complaint in a letter to the school community, saying the filing contains "several misrepresentations of Saint Ann’s role" and that the school will address the matter through appropriate legal channels. Head of School Kenyatte Reid and Board President Mary Watson said they were "concerned for all victims impacted by Nguyen’s actions."
The plaintiffs’ lawyer, Joshua Perry, said evidence will show the school repeatedly ignored warning signs and "coddled a known predator." Nguyen’s attorney, Frank Rothman, told The New York Times his client is penniless and incarcerated but acknowledged there may be potential liability for the school.
The lawsuit seeks accountability from the institution and its leaders, and Perry said he hopes the action will encourage other victims to come forward. Statements from the plaintiffs were previously read at Nguyen’s sentencing hearing, in which one victim wrote, "Photos of me as a naked preteen will forever be on the internet. You ruined my life, broke my ability to trust, and hurt any chance at loving myself."
Fox News Digital reported it reached out to Saint Ann’s School and Nguyen’s lawyer for comment.
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