Jim Harbaugh, Michigan Officials Added To Nationwide Matt Weiss Hacking Lawsuit

Jim Harbaugh, former University of Michigan football coach and current head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers, along with Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel and others, have been added to a federal class-action lawsuit concerning former assistant coach Matt Weiss. Weiss is accused of hacking into the private accounts of more than 3,000 student-athletes, predominantly women, across over 100 universities to access and download intimate photos and personal data. The lawsuit alleges that university officials, including Harbaugh, were aware of Weiss viewing sensitive information on a university computer in December 2022 but failed to take timely action, allowing him to continue coaching in a high-profile playoff game. Plaintiffs claim that the university prioritized athletic success over student safety and concealed Weiss's identity during the investigation. Weiss was placed on leave and later fired in early 2023 and has been indicted on multiple counts of unauthorized computer access and identity theft, charges to which he has pleaded not guilty. The lawsuit also accuses Harbaugh of fostering a culture lacking oversight that failed to protect students from Weiss’s misconduct.