7-Time 'Jeopardy!' Winner Stephanie Jass Pleads Guilty to Computer Hacking

Stephanie Jass pleaded guilty to hacking her colleagues' emails.
Stephanie Jass pleaded guilty to hacking email accounts at the small college where she worked. Michigan State Police

The Michigan woman hacked the emails of her students and colleagues, authorities said.

A seven-time "Jeoardy!" winner has pleaded guilty to hacking the emails of students, administrators and professors at the small Michigan university where she taught history.

Stephanie Jass, 48, was accused of sneaking into other people's accounts over a four-day period last year when administrators at Adrian College gave everyone the same temporary password while the system was being worked on.

Another professor turned Jass in after learning what she had done, authorities. She was later fired. 

She now faces up to five years in prison after pleading guilty last week to one count of unauthorized computer access.

Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 20.

"Privacy rights are a fundamental principle of our American democracy and Adrian College stands with those who protect these rights," the school said in a statement after her plea.

Jass' attorney said he would seek a delay in her sentencing hearing.

She was famous for appearing more than 10 times on "Jeopardy!" and competing in the Tournament of Champions and Battle of the Decades Tournament. She previously set a record for the most wins by a woman on the show, raking in about $166,000 in prize money during a seven-week streak in 2012.

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