Former University of Michigan co-offensive coordinator Matt Weiss has been indicted on 24 federal charges, including unauthorized computer access and aggravated identity theft, in what prosecutors are calling a years-long hacking scheme targeting thousands of college athletes across the country.
Weiss, who also previously worked for over a decade with the Baltimore Ravens, allegedly used illegal access to university databases and cloud storage accounts to steal intimate images and personal information, primarily from female student-athletes.
According to the indictment unsealed this week, Weiss is facing:
- 14 counts of unauthorized computer access
- 10 counts of aggravated identity theft
The charges allege that from 2015 to January 2023, Weiss repeatedly hacked into accounts belonging to athletes from over 100 colleges and universities, using cracked passwords to enter email, cloud storage, and social media platforms.
The investigation revealed that Weiss had accessed private medical databases from a third-party vendor and used that data to identify and target his victims. Authorities say he downloaded intimate images, made notes on the individuals' personal characteristics, and revisited their accounts months or even years later to search for new material.
The case came to light after suspicious activity was discovered on university servers, including those connected to the University of Michigan football program. In January 2023, Weiss was placed on administrative leave and later fired for failing to cooperate with an internal investigation into “unauthorized access of computer accounts.”
Further investigation by the FBI’s Detroit Cyber Task Force, in collaboration with university police, linked the activity to Weiss’s digital footprint.
Legal Consequences
If convicted, Weiss could face up to five years in prison per count of unauthorized access, and mandatory minimums of two years per count of identity theft—meaning he could potentially spend decades behind bars.
His court appearance date has not yet been scheduled.
"Our office will move aggressively to prosecute computer hacking to protect the private accounts of our citizens," said Acting U.S. Attorney Julie Beck in a statement.
Weiss had built a solid football coaching résumé before the scandal. After a long stint with the Ravens under coach John Harbaugh, he joined the Michigan Wolverines in 2021 and was promoted to co-offensive coordinator in 2022. His future in football is now all but over as he faces serious federal criminal charges.
The case against Matt Weiss is one of the most disturbing and wide-reaching hacking scandals in recent college sports history. With hundreds of victims and deeply personal violations at stake, the legal and reputational fallout is expected to be significant—not just for Weiss, but for the institutions connected to the data breaches.