A federal civil lawsuit involving former University of Michigan assistant football coach Matt Weiss now includes more than 50 people, including former head coach Jim Harbaugh and former university president Santa Ono. The lawsuit claims Weiss illegally accessed private data belonging mostly to female student-athletes. According to Detroit Free Press, Harbaugh and others are accused of letting Weiss continue coaching in important games despite knowing about his actions. A court filing states, “The University put the interests of the University football team ahead of those of the victimized female students.”
A key allegation is that the University of Michigan allowed Matt Weiss to continue serving as co-offensive coordinator during the national playoff game against Texas Christian University, even though school officials were reportedly aware of a student privacy breach at Schembechler Hall in late December 2022. CBS News stated, “Had Harbaugh implemented basic oversight of his staff, plaintiffs and the class would have been protected against predators such as Weiss.” Weiss was not removed from his position until several weeks after the game, raising concerns about the university’s handling of the situation.
As the case continues, some key figures, including Jim Harbaugh, say they were not aware of Matt Weiss' actions before the national playoff game, while the amended lawsuit presents a different account. The lawsuit includes claims involving Title IX, privacy, and civil rights violations. The plaintiffs are requesting "a trial by jury and accusing the defendants of 23 counts," which name Michigan’s athletic director Warde Manuel and members of the IT department. The case began with Weiss' indictment for allegedly hacking into computer systems at more than 100 universities, impacting over 3,000 student-athletes, based on a March 20 report from the FBI. Weiss recently changed legal counsel but continues to represent himself in the civil case, as mentioned by Detroit Free Press.
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