Jim Harbaugh Named in Class-Action Lawsuit Over Student Safety

News Summary

Former University of Michigan head football coach Jim Harbaugh is implicated in a class-action lawsuit involving allegations against his former assistant, Matt Weiss, for illegally accessing student accounts and downloading intimate images. The lawsuit claims Harbaugh neglected his responsibilities to ensure student safety during his tenure. Weiss is facing multiple charges for unauthorized access and identity theft. The lawsuit highlights systemic failures in oversight at the University of Michigan and raises concerns about cybersecurity in collegiate sports.

ANN ARBOR, MI – Former University of Michigan head football coach Jim Harbaugh has been named in an ongoing class-action lawsuit involving allegations that his former assistant, Matt Weiss, illegally accessed student accounts and downloaded personal, intimate images. Harbaugh, who now serves as head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers, is accused of neglecting his responsibilities to ensure student safety during his tenure at Michigan.

The lawsuit also targets Weiss, who served as the Wolverines’ offensive coordinator from 2021 until his termination in 2023 due to unauthorized access to computer accounts. Weiss has been charged with 14 counts of unauthorized access to computers and 10 counts of aggravated identity theft by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan. He pleaded not guilty to all charges.

According to court documents, Weiss allegedly accessed a platform containing personal identifying information of student-athletes from over 100 colleges and universities. He is accused of hacking into the personal accounts of approximately 3,300 students and alumni, with a focus on female student-athletes, and downloading intimate photos and videos.

The class-action lawsuit, which consolidates various civil suits against Weiss, the University of Michigan, and a software company implicated in the unauthorized access, claims Harbaugh failed to implement security measures that could have protected students from Weiss’s actions. The amended complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan states that a staff member observed Weiss viewing a student’s private information as early as December 2022, just before the Fiesta Bowl.

Despite this incident report, the lawsuit claims that Harbaugh and the university allowed Weiss to coach in the crucial national semifinal playoff game against TCU on December 31, 2022. The attorneys involved in the case assert that Harbaugh and others were aware of Weiss’s illegal activities but took no action to intervene.

In response to the allegations following Weiss’s indictment, Harbaugh expressed that he was “completely shocked” and “disturbed” by the accusations. This legal scrutiny comes in the context of Weiss’s extensive coaching background; he previously worked alongside Harbaugh at Stanford University from 2007 to 2010 and spent 12 seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, including time under Harbaugh’s brother, John Harbaugh.

The lawsuit also names former University of Michigan president Santa Ono, athletic director Warde Manuel, and 47 additional individuals as defendants. It argues that there was a systemic failure in oversight and accountability that allowed Weiss’s actions to go unchecked.

Weiss was terminated in January 2023 following an investigation by campus police regarding his computer usage. The case has raised significant concerns regarding cybersecurity and the protection of student information in collegiate sports and has drawn attention to the responsibilities of coaches and administrative leaders in safeguarding their students.

As the class-action lawsuit progresses, it could lead to significant implications not only for Harbaugh and Weiss but also for the University of Michigan, as various stakeholders scrutinize the institution’s handling of sensitive data and its commitment to student welfare.

Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic

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• Sports Illustrated: Sherrone Moore on Lessons from Harbaugh
• Encyclopedia Britannica: Jim Harbaugh
• USA Today: Jim Harbaugh Hacking Lawsuit
• Google News: Jim Harbaugh