Ex-U-M assistant charged with computer hacking

DETROIT -- A former NFL and University of Michigan assistant football coach allegedly hacked into the computer accounts of thousands of college athletes seeking intimate photos and videos, according to an indictment filed Thursday.

Matt Weiss, who worked for the Baltimore Ravens before joining the University of Michigan in 2021, was charged with 14 counts of unauthorized computer access and 10 counts of identity theft.

The indictment was filed in federal court in Detroit.

Weiss was fired in 2023 as Michigan's co-offensive coordinator after failing to cooperate with the school's investigation of his access to computers.

Phone and email messages seeking comment from his attorney, Doug Mullkoff, were not immediately returned Thursday.

From 2015 to 2023, Weiss allegedly gained access to databases of more than 100 colleges and universities that were maintained by a third-party vendor. He then got access to the social media, email and cloud storage accounts of more than 2,000 athletes, according to the indictment.

"Weiss primarily targeted female college athletes," the indictment said. "He researched and targeted these women based on their school affiliation, athletic history and physical characteristics. His goal was to obtain private photographs and videos never intended to be shared beyond intimate partners."

After more than a decade as an assistant coach with the Ravens, under coach John Harbaugh, Weiss moved to Michigan to work for Harbaugh's brother, Jim Harbaugh.

It has been publicly known for two years that Weiss was under scrutiny. His Ann Arbor home was searched by police in January 2023, shortly before he was fired. He said at the time that he was cooperating and was looking "forward to the matter being resolved."

Weiss' initial court appearance on the charges was not determined.

"Our office will move aggressively to prosecute computer hacking to protect the private accounts of our citizens," Julie Beck, the acting U.S. attorney in Detroit, said of the indictment.