Ex-Northeastern track coach charged in nude photo scam to appear in federal court in Boston

A former Northeastern University track and field coach accused of using sham social media accounts to trick female student athletes into sending him nude or seminude photos is heading to federal court in Boston.

Steve Waithe, formerly of Somerville, was arrested at the Chicago home his lawyer said he shares with his girlfriend and charged with one count of cyberstalking and one count of wire fraud. He waived his right to a detention hearing and will be transferred to Boston on an as yet unscheduled date.

Waithe, 28, was a track and field coach at Northeastern University from October 2018 to February 2019. During that time, he frequently asked to use female athletes’ cellphones under the pretense of filming their form at practice and at meets, according to court documents.

From at least June 21 to Oct. 3, 2020, he cyberstalked at least one student athlete through social media messages and intrusion into her Snapchat account, prosecutors allege.

Using different names, he also emailed some prospective victims under the premise of doing an “athlete research” or “body development” study, and asked them to send photos of themselves “to show as much skin as possible,” they say.

Investigators have identified more than 10 victims of the “body development study” scheme and over 300 related nude and seminude images of victims in Waithe’s email accounts, according to court documents.

Federal investigators are asking anyone who believes she was a victim of the scheme to visit https://ift.tt/3mxXOQa

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/3fUFmjv