Take it fwiw… (copied from 11W)
UMPD seized Weiss's computer and other electronic devices that were technically UM property as part of their initial investigation into unauthorized email access. Weiss was allegedly hacking player and other student accounts and stealing "personal" images. UMPD is a part of the UM Division of Public Safety & Security - which has a modest criminal investigations unit. Mostly, they deal with parking, drunks, and vandalism. What they do not have is a meaningful cyber unit. Weiss is not cooperating with the investigation - in other words, he wouldn't give up passwords, etc. So, UMPD brought in a third-party with cyber expertise to access Weiss's files. The cyber investigation revealed suspected CSAM. (The word "suspected" is intentional because the legal threshold to definitively ascertain a victim's age when the identity of the victim is unknown is a challenge. If the CSAM are clearly images of a six-year old child, then the CSAM is self-evident. If it is a 14-year old? Well, some 18-year olds appear younger than their actual age. This is relevant in terms of gaining a conviction.)
The digital forensic analysis of the Weiss computer revealed other potential causes for alarm - including this matter which was brought to the attention of the NCAA due to integrity of game concerns. The same digital devices indicate that Weiss had cookies for a fantasy sports/gaming account. Obviously, this is a very big red flag. The same digital forensic analysis revealed a file sharing system (which is common - most of us have a means of sharing files among people in our companies and networks). However, because of the CSAM concern, there was a want to see exactly WHO was accessing exactly WHAT on the devices. The two names who were accessing the files: Stalions and Jay Harbaugh.
This is not to suggest that Stalions and Jay Harbaugh are involved in CSAM - only that they had access to the same files that Weiss accessed. My assumption would be that this access is NOT CSAM-related because Stalions, presumably, would have been terminated at the same time that Weiss was separated from the program. Jim Harbaugh is not remotely liked by most staffers in the athletic department - Jay Harbaugh is even liked less. The general assumption at UM is that Jim will absolutely lie, obfuscate, mitigate, manipulate, tamper, etc. to shield Jay from any consequence.
Also, Harbaugh's promises of "cooperation" are total BS. He has been completely uncooperative with the Weiss investigation. If Harbaugh will not support a CSAM investigation with multiple victims, does anyone reasonably trust him to cooperate on a NCAA rules infraction case (particularly one that involves his son)?
Anyway, the reporting that the signal stealing and Weiss investigations are "unrelated" is technically correct. But the Weiss investigation has contributed to the digital evidence concerning signal stealing. And Weiss is knee-deep with the Harbaugh family. Jim hired Weiss as a GA at Stanford, and then promoted him to the coaching staff. John then hired Weiss to join his staff with the Ravens. Weiss was part of the Ravens posse that John sent to Jim to rescue his program. Weiss is very, very, very close to Harbaugh. The general belief among UM athletic staff is that there is a tacit agreement: Harbaugh doesn't cooperate with the Weiss investigation, and Weiss doesn't rat out the depth and reach of the scheme to steal play calls.
The third-party forensic analysis of Weiss's digital devices is what let this particular cat out of the bag. So, to the UM apologists who are now questioning the recent WaPo report ("Who broke into our computers???): No one did. Your own PD turned the information over for analysis.
According to an admin in Manuel's office - but not involved day-to-day with the football program - the Kiss of Death is (allegedly) clear and obvious appropriation of MASSIVE volumes of practice footage that were conveyed from a cloud server to localized storage on Weiss's computer. For example, allegedly, there are upwards of 50+ hours of OSU practice footage on Weiss's computer. The Citrix activity logs empirically demonstrate that mutiple coaches and staff accessed these same files. I have only heard this from one person at UM. However, this person is a dyed in the wool UM loyalist. One measure of restraint that I think we should contemplate: The most vocal minority at UM is defending/mitigating these behaviors. The silent majority at UM is appalled. Let's put ourselves in the same position: If Ryan Day were guilty of the same misdeeds, I'd agree with his tar and feathering...and immediately shutting down the season. This is an integrity of the game issue. UM has won games (and won games by improbable margins) as a direct product of egregious cheating. Most people who work at UM despise Harbaugh. And, the fact that this spawned from a CSAM investigation is insult upon injury. There is the football program, and then there is UM. Increasingly, these entities are disconnected.
