DETROIT — A former assistant football coach for both the NFL and University of Michigan, Matt Weiss, stands accused of infiltrating the computer accounts of thousands of collegiate athletes in a pursuit for intimate images and videos, as delineated in a recent indictment.
The indictment, filed in the federal court in Detroit, states that Weiss, who had been affiliated with the Baltimore Ravens before joining Michigan’s staff in 2021, faces 14 counts of unauthorized computer access alongside 10 counts of identity theft.
Weiss was dismissed from his role as Michigan’s co-offensive coordinator in 2023 following a lack of cooperation with the university’s inquiry into his computer activities. His attorney, Doug Mullkoff, did not respond immediately to requests for comment via phone and email on Thursday.
Between 2015 and 2023, Weiss reportedly accessed databases of over 100 educational institutions, which were maintained by Keffer Development Services, a third-party vendor. It is claimed that Weiss downloaded personal and medical information of more than 150,000 student-athletes as detailed in the indictment.
The 14-page document depicts Weiss as adept with computers, explaining how he managed to bypass encryption that protected such accounts using internet research for guidance. Subsequently, he accessed social media, email, and cloud storage accounts of over 2,000 athletes and more than 1,300 students or alumni nationwide, according to the statement outlined in the indictment.
“Weiss primarily targeted female college athletes,” claims the document. It goes on to say that Weiss conducted research on these women, targeting them based on their affiliations with schools, athletic records, and physical attributes. His purpose, per the indictment, was to gather private photographs and videos not meant to be shared outside of intimate relationships.
The indictment reveals Weiss kept detailed notes on the downloaded media, making comments on physical features and sexual preferences, occasionally revisiting accounts years later in search of new content.
“Our office will pursue aggressive prosecution against computer hacking endeavors to safeguard citizens’ private accounts,” said Julie Beck, the acting U.S. attorney in Detroit, referencing the legal actions being taken.
Weiss transitioned from a decade-long tenure as an assistant coach with the Baltimore Ravens, under coach John Harbaugh, to work at Michigan under the direction of Jim Harbaugh, John’s brother.
The news of Weiss being under scrutiny has been public for two years, following a police search of his Ann Arbor home in January 2023, which occurred shortly before his termination. At the time, Weiss expressed that he was cooperating, with hopes of a resolution being reached.
Details about Weiss’ initial court appearance concerning these accusations have yet to be decided.