Jim Harbaugh Involved in Class Action Lawsuit Against Former University of Michigan Coach Matt Weiss

Jim Harbaugh, the former head coach of the University of Michigan football team, has been implicated in a class-action lawsuit against the university. The suit alleges that a former offensive coordinator, Matt Weiss, illegally accessed student accounts to download private, intimate images.

Currently, Harbaugh serves as the head coach for the Los Angeles Chargers, having led the Wolverines from 2015 to 2023. Weiss, who was hired by the University of Michigan in 2021, was terminated in 2023 following accusations of unauthorized access to personal computer accounts.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan later charged Weiss with 14 counts of unauthorized access to computers and 10 counts of aggravated identity theft. Allegations state that he accessed a platform containing personal information about student-athletes from over 100 colleges, ultimately hacking into the personal accounts of approximately 3,300 students and alumni.

The civil class-action lawsuit names Weiss, the University of Michigan, and the creator of the third-party software allegedly used in the breaches. The lawsuit consolidates various civil cases in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.

Harbaugh has been mentioned in an amended complaint that claims he neglected his supervisory duties over Weiss and failed to implement necessary security measures, allowing Weiss to exploit student information. Additionally, the complaint notes that an employee observed Weiss accessing a student’s private details in December 2022, just before the university’s participation in the Fiesta Bowl.

Despite this report, Harbaugh permitted Weiss to coach in the game. A representative for Harbaugh has not yet issued a comment, though he previously expressed shock and disturbance regarding the allegations following Weiss’ indictment.