SAN MARCOS, Calif. – A California State University San Marcos student was arrested and will face federal charges for allegedly rigging a student body election.
Matthew Weaver, a junior at CSUSM, was arrested Thursday and charged with fraud, access device fraud and unauthorized access to a computer, according to FBI special agent Foxworth.
“It was something that rose to the level that it did violate federal charges,” said Foxworth.
Court documents showed Weaver was stealing the identification and passwords of fellow students.
“Our IT department noticed some unusual activities going on with one of our campus computer lab computers,” said Margaret Lutz, spokeswoman for CSUSM.
Lutz said it happened last year during the ASI student body elections. According to federal documents, Weaver had attached 19 keyloggers to various computers in the computer lab. A keylogger is a device that records keystrokes entered into a computer.
“About 700 student passwords were compromised, which was in relation to ASI elections last spring,” said Lutz.
Prosecutors said Weaver did this to win the election, but it had nothing to do with politics.
An ASI President is paid a yearly stipend of $8,000 and four Vice Presidents receive $7,000 each. Weaver had convinced four fraternity brothers to run in the election, so they could collect on the $36,000. The student body of government also oversees a $300,000 budget each year.
Caitlin McNulty’s boyfriend was roommates with Weaver and was not surprised when Fox 5 told her he had been arrested.
“He seemed a little on edge,” said McNulty. “He was a little different. He always would have like a hidden agenda it seemed like. That’s too bad that had to happen.”
Other students said a rigged student election is one thing, but federal charges are one step too far.
“I think it’s a little too strong for school government for ASI,” said Nick Jungman. “I don’t think it should be that big. I might even say like it should probably stay in Cal State San Marcos or the San Marcos area.”
“The message to anyone out there that would contemplate engaging in this type of activity is don’t do it,” said Foxworth.
Weaver’s mother attended her son’s arraignment at federal court, but declined to comment.
Judge Gallo set bail for Weaver at $20,000. He is scheduled to return to court Feb 21.
15 Comments to “CSUSM student accused of rigging college election”
February 8, 2013 at 10:15 PM
LOL FBI agents got caught rigging the elections in Cincinnati in the late 1980's.
We brought Leonard gates to speak at our local college. He was the man committing voter fraud for the FBI. He told the audience FBI agents are engaged in committing voter fraud on a national level.
Gates was a supervisor at Cincinnati Bell Telephone and was requested by the local FBI agents to place phone taps on the voting polls.
The FBI provided Gates with an illegal copy of the electronic voting machines operating system that had been re-written by the FBI. The new software was inserted into the voting machines via the machines modem. google leonard gates bob draise fbi voter fraud landes report
February 11, 2013 at 11:21 AM
When they areno't entrapping mentally unstable people in terror crimes, they are rigging elections, tsk tsk. J.Edgar would be so proud.
February 9, 2013 at 4:27 AM
Reblogged this on Bowler's Desk and commented:
FBI arrests Cal State San Marcos student body candidate
February 11, 2013 at 11:18 AM
Future member of U.S. Congress?
February 11, 2013 at 1:09 PM
An obvious politician in the making.
February 11, 2013 at 4:20 PM
Kick him out of school, but federal charges ? That's not appropriate. He didn't steal any money. Fraud ? OK, but, it's not a public election. Students should support kicking him out, but no charges.
February 11, 2013 at 4:22 PM
There was a large amount of money involved, but did he ever get it ?
February 12, 2013 at 3:26 PM
He tried to help his friends get jobs, not sure how it's a federal crime when the GOP buys elections year after year.
February 11, 2013 at 10:37 PM
He was trying to steall upwards of 36 grand….yes federal charges
February 12, 2013 at 3:26 PM
He wasn't stealing anything.
February 11, 2013 at 4:52 PM
hey, this guy has got the makings of a great politican
February 12, 2013 at 3:27 PM
He logged usernames and passwords to get his friends elected, sounds more like he should have run Romney's campaign.
February 13, 2013 at 6:28 AM
Federal charges for a rigged student election yet they still allow Obama to run our country after all of the voting fraud he was elected on… Gotta love Obama's America… NOT.