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The accused is Matthew Weiss, age 42, a Connecticut native from Cheshire, who previously served as co-offensive coordinator at the University of Michigan.
Acting United States Attorney Julie A. Beck announced the charges on Thursday, March 20. They include 14 counts of unauthorized access to computers and 10 counts of aggravated identity theft.
According to the indictment, spanning 24 counts, Weiss allegedly gained unauthorized access to student athlete databases that were maintained by a third-party vendor between 2015 and January 2023.
During this time, he reportedly downloaded personally identifiable information and medical data pertaining to more than 150,000 athletes, allowing him to engage in further invasive actions.
Utilizing the sensitive information obtained from these databases, along with his own internet research, Weiss allegedly accessed the social media, email, and cloud storage accounts of over 2,000 target athletes.
Furthermore, he is accused of illegally infiltrating the accounts of more than 1,300 additional students and alumni from various universities across the nation.
Beck was fired by Michigan in 2023 after failing to cooperate with the school's investigation. He previously worked with the Baltimore Ravens of the NFL, including as running backs coach.
The indictment paints a disturbing picture, as Weiss is alleged to have downloaded personal and intimate digital photographs and videos that were never intended for public viewing.
If convicted, Weiss faces severe penalties, including a maximum of five years in prison for each count of unauthorized access to computers and two years for each count of aggravated identity theft.
Weiss joined the Ravens in 2009. He spent four previous years at Stanford as a defensive/special teams assistant (2008) and as a graduate assistant (2005-07).
He played collegiality at Vanderbilt (2001-04), where he earned a degree in economics. He later obtained a master's degree in liberal arts from Stanford (2008).
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