Lawsuit filed against University of Michigan, Matt Weiss after allegations he hacked female athletes' accounts
Ann Arbor students react after former Michigan football coach indicted
According to a federal indictment, Weiss hacked into computer accounts of thousands of college athletes, mostly women, with the goal of obtaining private photographs and videos never intended to be shared publicly.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (FOX 2) - After being charged for allegedly hacking the accounts of female athletes and accessing private photos, former University of Michigan quarterback coach Matt Weiss is now facing a lawsuit.
The suit, filed by Marko Low, also names the University of Michigan, the Regents of the University of Michigan, and Keffer Development Services, LLC.
The backstory:
Weiss, who was fired in 2023 after failing to cooperate with the university's investigation into the case, was recently charged with 24 federal counts including unauthorized access to computers and aggravated identity theft.
According to a federal indictment, Weiss allegedly began accessing information, including social media, email, and cloud storage accounts, as early as 2015, before he worked at U of M. Authorities said he continued to do so until 2023.
BALTIMORE, MD - JANUARY 11: Baltimore Ravens running back coach Matt Weiss takes the field prior to the AFC Divisional Playoff game between the Tennessee Titans and the Baltimore Ravenson January 11, 2020, at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, MD
The indictment said the QB coach targeted female college athletes and researched their school affiliation, athletic history, and physical characteristics with the goal of getting pictures and videos not meant to be released to the public. The indictment said Weiss would keep notes on the athletes – including comments on their bodies and sexual preferences.
The indictment says he got access to over 100 colleges and universities through Keffer Development Services – a third-party vendor – by compromising the passwords of accounts for trainers and athletic directors.
He's accused of downloading personally identifiable information on more than 150,000 athletes.
Ex-UM football QB coach hacked accounts of female athletes, feds say
More than two years after being removed from his job as offensive co-coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the University of Michigan, Matt Weiss has been indicted for hacking accounts to steal photos and videos of thousands of potential athletes, mostly women.
Weiss also downloaded passwords of athletes to access the system, the indictment said. These passwords were protected with encryption, which he was allegedly able to crack from research online. Once in their accounts, prosecutors said he downloaded intimate photos and videos.
Additionally, Weiss is accused of exploiting the school's authentication process to get access to accounts of alumni of universities throughout the country.
What they're saying:
"This case is deeply disturbing," said attorney Jon Marko in a press release announcing the lawsuit. "These women simply wanted to compete in their university’s athletic programs. They never imagined that the institution entrusted with their private information would allow it to be compromised, nor that an employee would be able to access some of their most personal data for years. It’s a blatant violation of their fundamental right to privacy."
Marko asserts the university and Keffer Development Services failed to secure their database containing highly sensitive information, including private photographs and personal details meant only for the athletes.
The Source: This story was reported using previous FOX 2 stories, a press release from Marko Law, and a copy of the lawsuit against Matt Weiss and the University of Michigan.