Ex-Chicago track coach sentenced to 5 years for exploiting over 100 women in photo scheme

A former college track coach from Chicago was sentenced in connection with a scheme where he tricked over 100 women across the globe to send him explicit photos. 

Steve Waithe, 31, will spend five years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, the U.S. Dept. of Justice announced Wednesday. 

He convinced the women to send him photos on nearly two dozen fake social media and email accounts, according to the DOJ. 

Waithe also cyberstalked one female student-athlete and was conducting another scheme to gain access to victims' Snapchat accounts, officials say. 

In total, he had at least 56 women victims and he tried to victimize 72 more, according to officials. Investigators found 22 fake online accounts across at least seven different platforms. They also found hundreds of photos that were sent to him by dozens of victims. 

The conditions of Waithe's supervised release prohibit him from taking any jobs where he could be a coach, teacher, mentor or any similar role involving women or girls.

His internet usage will also be monitored, according to the DOJ. 

Waithe worked as a track and field coach at multiple institutions, including the Illinois Institute of Technology and Concordia University Chicago. 

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