**Jim Harbaugh Added to Lawsuit Over Alleged Hacking Incident**
**Meta Description:** Jim Harbaugh faces a lawsuit linked to a former assistant’s alleged hacking of student-athlete data at the University of Michigan.
**URL Slug:** harbaugh-lawsuit-hacking-incident
**Headline:** Jim Harbaugh Named in Lawsuit Over Alleged Hacking of Student-Athlete Data
In a significant legal development, Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh has been added to a lawsuit involving his former employer, the University of Michigan. The lawsuit also implicates a former assistant football coach, Matt Weiss, who is accused of hacking into computer systems to obtain private photos of college athletes.
The lawsuit claims that Harbaugh permitted Weiss to continue in his role as co-offensive coordinator during a crucial national playoff game, despite being aware that Weiss had accessed confidential information on a computer in December 2022. Parker Stinar, the lead attorney in a class-action lawsuit stemming from a criminal investigation into Weiss, stated, “The university’s delay in taking meaningful protective action until after a high-stakes game sends a clear message: Student welfare was secondary.”
The updated lawsuit asserts that had Harbaugh exercised proper oversight of his staff, the plaintiffs would have been safeguarded against individuals like Weiss. Instead, Weiss was portrayed as a valuable asset within the football program, which allegedly enabled him to target female student-athletes.
Reports indicate that a staff member observed Weiss accessing private information at Schembechler Hall, the football team’s headquarters, around December 21, 2022. This incident was reported prior to Michigan’s playoff game against Texas Christian University on December 31. Weiss was subsequently fired in January 2023 during an investigation into his computer usage.
Earlier this year, following the filing of charges, Harbaugh expressed his shock upon learning about Weiss’s actions, stating, “Just shocked, completely shocked. Disturbed.” He emphasized that he was unaware of the allegations until after the playoff game.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan announced Weiss’s indictment this month, more than two years after his termination. The indictment alleges that Weiss gained unauthorized access to student-athlete databases from over 100 colleges and universities, downloading personal information of more than 150,000 athletes. This access reportedly allowed him to view the information of over 2,000 athletes, including their social media, email, and cloud storage accounts.
As the legal proceedings unfold, the implications for Harbaugh and the University of Michigan remain to be seen, raising questions about oversight and the protection of student-athletes in collegiate sports.
**FAQ:**
**Q: What are the allegations against Jim Harbaugh in the lawsuit?**
A: Jim Harbaugh is accused of allowing former assistant coach Matt Weiss to continue working despite knowing he accessed confidential information about student-athletes.