A former University of Michigan co-offensive coordinator was charged with two dozen counts after federal authorities say he hacked into computers at more than 100 universities and stole the identity of more than 3,000 students.
According to an indictment, 42-year-old Matt Weiss was charged with 14 counts of unauthorized access to computers and 10 counts of aggravated identity theft, and faces a maximum of five years imprisonment on each count of unauthorized access to computers and two years on each count of aggravated identity theft.
Weiss’s alleged crimes spanned from 2015-2023, and authorities say he is accused of downloading confidential information of more than 150,000 student-athletes, targeting mostly female college athletes.
He also gained access to the social media, email, and/or cloud storage accounts of more than 3,300 additional people.
‘Through this scheme, unknown to account holders, Weiss downloaded personal, intimate digital photographs and videos,’ the indictment said. ‘His goal was to obtain private photographs and videos never intended to be shared beyond intimate partners.’
The indictment alleges that ‘Weiss kept notes on individuals whose photographs and videos that he viewed, including notes commenting on their bodies and sexual preferences.’
In 2023, Weiss, who worked for former Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh and also his brother, John, head coach with the Baltimore Ravens, was placed on administrative leave from his position and subsequently fired after the University of Michigan’s police department began investigating him for a computer crime.
“Our office will move aggressively to prosecute computer hacking to protect the private accounts of our citizens,” Acting U.S. Attorney Julie Beck said in a statement. “We stand ready with our law enforcement partners to bring those who illegally invade the privacy of others to justice.”
