Former University of Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh named in class action suit against Matt Weiss
Former University of Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh was named in an ongoing class-action suit against the school over allegations that a former offensive coordinator illegally accessed student accounts to download their personal, intimate images.
Harbaugh, now head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers, led the Wolverines football team from 2015 to 2023. During that time, co-offensive coordinator Matt Weiss was fired for allegedly gaining unauthorized access to other people's computer accounts.
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Michigan charged Weiss in March with 14 counts of unauthorized access to computers and 10 counts of aggravated identity theft. According to a federal indictment, he had unauthorized access to a platform with personal identifying information about student-athletes from more than 100 colleges and universities across the country.
He then allegedly used that information to hack into the personal accounts of 3,300 students and alumni with the help of additional internet research. Federal prosecutors allege that he mostly targeted female student-athletes, downloading intimate photos and videos from their private accounts.
Weiss was hired at the University of Michigan in 2021 and terminated in 2023. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The class-action lawsuit, which is separate from the criminal case, targets Weiss, the University of Michigan and the maker of third-party software Weiss is alleged to have used to gain access to personal identifying information of student-athletes. It consolidates a number of civil suits in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.
Harbaugh was named as a party in an amended complaint on Friday, alleging that he neglected responsibilities in his role as Weiss' supervisor and the head of the football program.
The complaint alleges that Harbaugh 'failed and refused to implement basic security measures to Weiss and the football program' that resulted in Weiss being able to gain access to the students' information.
'Had Harbaugh implemented basic oversight of his staff, Plaintiffs and the class would have been protected against predators such as Weiss,' the complaint said.
The new complaint also alleges that a staff member saw Weiss viewing a student's private information at Schembechler Hall in December 2022 prior to the school competing in the Fiesta Bowl.
Harbaugh and the university still allowed Weiss to participate in the game, despite a report having been filed to the university prior to the game, the filing said.
A representative for Harbaugh did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Harbaugh said earlier this year after news of the Weiss indictment broke that he was 'completely shocked' and 'disturbed' by the allegations, according to NBC Sports.
The two worked together prior to their time at the University of Michigan when Harbaugh coached at Stanford University between 2007 and 2010.
Weiss also worked with Harbaugh's brother, John Harbaugh, during his time on the Baltimore Ravens staff. Weiss spent 12 seasons as an assistant coach for the Ravens where, Harbaugh's brother served as head coach.
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NBC News
17 hours ago
- NBC News
Former University of Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh named in class action suit against Matt Weiss
Former University of Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh was named in an ongoing class-action suit against the school over allegations that a former offensive coordinator illegally accessed student accounts to download their personal, intimate images. Harbaugh, now head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers, led the Wolverines football team from 2015 to 2023. During that time, co-offensive coordinator Matt Weiss was fired for allegedly gaining unauthorized access to other people's computer accounts. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Michigan charged Weiss in March with 14 counts of unauthorized access to computers and 10 counts of aggravated identity theft. According to a federal indictment, he had unauthorized access to a platform with personal identifying information about student-athletes from more than 100 colleges and universities across the country. He then allegedly used that information to hack into the personal accounts of 3,300 students and alumni with the help of additional internet research. Federal prosecutors allege that he mostly targeted female student-athletes, downloading intimate photos and videos from their private accounts. Weiss was hired at the University of Michigan in 2021 and terminated in 2023. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges. The class-action lawsuit, which is separate from the criminal case, targets Weiss, the University of Michigan and the maker of third-party software Weiss is alleged to have used to gain access to personal identifying information of student-athletes. It consolidates a number of civil suits in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. Harbaugh was named as a party in an amended complaint on Friday, alleging that he neglected responsibilities in his role as Weiss' supervisor and the head of the football program. The complaint alleges that Harbaugh 'failed and refused to implement basic security measures to Weiss and the football program' that resulted in Weiss being able to gain access to the students' information. 'Had Harbaugh implemented basic oversight of his staff, Plaintiffs and the class would have been protected against predators such as Weiss,' the complaint said. The new complaint also alleges that a staff member saw Weiss viewing a student's private information at Schembechler Hall in December 2022 prior to the school competing in the Fiesta Bowl. Harbaugh and the university still allowed Weiss to participate in the game, despite a report having been filed to the university prior to the game, the filing said. A representative for Harbaugh did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Harbaugh said earlier this year after news of the Weiss indictment broke that he was 'completely shocked' and 'disturbed' by the allegations, according to NBC Sports. The two worked together prior to their time at the University of Michigan when Harbaugh coached at Stanford University between 2007 and 2010. Weiss also worked with Harbaugh's brother, John Harbaugh, during his time on the Baltimore Ravens staff. Weiss spent 12 seasons as an assistant coach for the Ravens where, Harbaugh's brother served as head coach.
The Herald Scotland
a day ago
- The Herald Scotland
Jim Harbaugh added to hacking lawsuit vs. ex-Michigan assistant
In a lawsuit filed in the Eastern District of Michigan and obtained by USA TODAY Sports, the amended version is part of a lawsuit originally filed in March, in which 11 women filed a class action lawsuit saying Weiss downloaded personal, intimate digital photographs and videos of them. Former University of Michigan president Santa Ono, athletic director Warde Manuel, and 47 others have been named in the amended lawsuit as defendants. The lawsuit claims that Harbaugh, who at the time was Michigan's coach, and others knew that Weiss had viewed private information on a computer, but still let him coach as a co-offensive coordinator in a national semifinal playoff game in the Fiesta Bowl against TCU on Dec. 31, 2022. "Had Harbaugh implemented basic oversight of his staff, plaintiffs and the class would have been protected against predators such as Weiss," the lawsuit states. "Instead, Weiss was a highly compensated asset that was promoted by and within the football program, from which position he was able to, and did, target female student athletes." Weiss was fired in January 2023 after an investigation by campus police looked into his computer use. More than a dozen civil lawsuits have been filed against Weiss, who worked for the Baltimore Ravens before becoming Michigan's quarterbacks coach and co-offensive coordinator.
The Independent
2 days ago
- The Independent
NFL coach Jim Harbaugh added to lawsuit about hacking allegations against former assistant
NFL coach Jim Harbaugh was added Friday to a lawsuit against the University of Michigan and a former assistant football coach who is accused of hacking into the computer accounts of college athletes across the U.S. to look for intimate photos. Attorneys claim Harbaugh, who was Michigan 's coach, and others knew that Matt Weiss was seen viewing private information on a computer in December 2022 but still allowed him to continue working as co-offensive coordinator in a national playoff game roughly a week later. Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel and other officials were also added to the lawsuit in federal court in Detroit. 'The university's delay in taking meaningful protective action until after a high-stakes game sends a clear message: Student welfare was secondary,' said Parker Stinar, who is the lead lawyer in a class-action lawsuit arising from a criminal investigation of Weiss. Messages seeking comment from Manuel and Harbaugh, who is currently the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers, were not immediately returned Friday. Separately, Weiss has been charged with identity theft and unauthorized computer access from 2015 to 2023. The indictment says he got access to the social media, email and cloud storage accounts of more than 2,000 college athletes, as well as more than 1,300 students or alumni from schools across the U.S., to find private images, primarily of women. He has pleaded not guilty. 'Had Harbaugh implemented basic oversight of his staff, plaintiffs and the class would have been protected against predators such as Weiss,' the updated lawsuit states. 'Instead, Weiss was a highly compensated asset that was promoted by and within the football program, from which position he was able to, and did, target female student athletes.' The lawsuit says a staff member saw Weiss viewing private information at Schembechler Hall, headquarters for the football team, around Dec. 21, 2022, and reported it before Michigan played Texas Christian University in a playoff game days later on Dec. 31. Weiss was fired a few weeks later in January 2023 during an investigation of his computer use. Earlier this year, after charges were filed, Harbaugh told reporters that he didn't know anything about Weiss' troubles until after the playoff game. He said the allegations were "shocking." Weiss worked for Harbaugh's brother, John, on the coaching staff of the NFL's Baltimore Ravens before joining the Michigan team in 2021. The lawsuit says Weiss' university computer had encryption software that had to be disabled by an external vendor as part of the investigation. Authorities disclosed in April that thousands of intimate photos and videos were found on his electronic devices and cloud storage accounts.
