A former University of Michigan sports scientist is facing severe legal allegations linked to child pornography and solicitation of minors. The ex-employee, Jacob Anthony Kromberg, was arrested and accused of a series of disturbing crimes, including coercion and enticement of a minor, receipt of child pornography, and possession of child pornography, as reported by CBS News.
The arrest followed after a 14-year-old student-athlete reported to his coach back in February that he had received solicitations for sex online via Snapchat along with photos that captured him partially undressed at a sporting event; furthermore, this communication included requests for the minor to engage in sexual acts for money, as detailed in the criminal complaint accessed by WWJ Newsradio 950. A coach obtained a photo of Kromberg at a later sporting event, which facilitated his later identification by authorities who also found that he resided with a 56-year-old man in Howell.
The FBI's search of Kromberg's car and home led to the discovery of multiple incriminating items, including an external hard drive with photos of teen boys. Court records reveal explicit online interactions and images that Kromberg had of boys ranging from ages 12 to 17, most of which appeared to be taken without their knowledge at various sporting events, as outlined by CBS News Detroit and WWJ Newsradio 950. The accused, who had been listed as both a sports scientist and director of operations for Michigan’s women’s soccer team, used to coach freshman soccer at Ann Arbor Pioneer High School, although the school has not been named in the criminal complaint.
These events have sparked widespread concern, and while the University of Michigan has not made a formal statement regarding Kromberg's arrest, they did confirm his termination of "volunteer appointment, effective immediately" while emphasizing the ongoing nature of the criminal investigation, a detail noted in a statement to the Detroit Free Press. Additional details provided by Detroit Free Press include the grim findings of the FBI search, the multiple conversations Kromberg allegedly had with minors through Snapchat, and a specific image on the seized hard drive that depicted a nude male estimated to be 13 to 15 years old.
