(TheRedAlertNews.com) – In a shocking betrayal for his fans, former Michigan football coach Matt Weiss has been indicted on 24 federal cybercrime charges for allegedly hacking into the private accounts of thousands of female college athletes.
The disgraced coach, who worked with the recently scandal-plagued University of Michigan program, is accused of systematically targeting and stealing intimate photos and videos from more than 150,000 student-athletes across the country.
Federal prosecutors claimed Weiss, who was fired in January 2023, conducted a massive cybercrime operation spanning from 2015 to 2023.
During this period, he allegedly accessed student-athlete databases from over 100 universities, specifically targeting female athletes based on their physical characteristics, school affiliations, and athletic backgrounds.
The criminal complaint details how Weiss first gained access to accounts of individuals with elevated privileges—like trainers and athletic directors—to obtain confidential information and student passwords.
Using these stolen credentials, he then breached the personal accounts of thousands of female athletes, downloading private photos and videos meant for intimate partners only.
The scale of the alleged crimes is staggering. According to the indictment, Weiss accessed the social media, email, and cloud storage accounts of more than 2,000 athletes and over 1,300 students or alumni.
He reportedly kept detailed notes on individuals, including disturbing comments about their bodies and sexual preferences.
The federal investigation was conducted jointly by the FBI Detroit Cyber Task Force and the University of Michigan Police Department.
The case began unraveling when a Michigan employee reported unauthorized access to university email accounts just days before Weiss was terminated from his position.
If convicted, Weiss faces serious consequences—up to five years in prison for unauthorized computer access and an additional mandatory two years for aggravated identity theft.
These charges come with minimum sentencing requirements, ensuring jail time if he is found guilty.
“Our office will move aggressively to prosecute computer hacking to protect the private accounts of our citizens,” Acting U.S. Attorney Julie Beck said.
“We stand ready with our law enforcement partners to bring those who illegally invade the privacy of others to justice,” she added.
This scandal adds to a growing list of controversies surrounding Michigan football. The program was under NCAA investigation for sign-stealing allegations that tainted their 2023 national championship season, ultimately leading to head coach Jim Harbaugh’s departure to the NFL.
Moreover, Weiss had deep ties to the Harbaugh coaching tree, having worked at Stanford, the Baltimore Ravens, and finally, Michigan, where he was promoted to co-offensive coordinator in 2022.
Despite these connections, university officials have remained tight-lipped about the scandal. A Michigan football spokesman stated, “I would refer you to the FBI regarding this case.”
While an indictment is not proof of guilt, and the government must prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt, the detailed nature of the allegations and the extensive investigation by federal authorities suggest overwhelming evidence against the former coach.
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