Posted on 09/11/2009 9:28:08 PM PDT by Saije
A computer hacker who was once a federal informer and was a driving force behind one of the largest cases of identity theft in U.S. history pleaded guilty Friday in a deal with prosecutors that will send him to prison for up to 25 years.
Albert Gonzalez, 28, of Miami, admitted to pulling off some of the most prominent hacking jobs of the decade -- invading the computer systems of such retailers as TJX, BJ's Wholesale Club, OfficeMax, Boston Market, Barnes & Noble and Sports Authority. Federal authorities say tens of millions of credit and debit card numbers were stolen.
Gonzalez entered guilty pleas in U.S. District Court in Boston to 19 counts of conspiracy, computer fraud, wire fraud, access device fraud and aggravated identity theft. He also pleaded guilty to a New York indictment charging one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud for hacks into the Dave & Buster's restaurant chain.
Under his plea agreements, Gonzalez faces 15 to 25 years in prison in the Massachusetts case and up to 20 years in the New York case. The sentences would run concurrently. *****
Gonzalez, who was known online as "soupnazi," was a self-taught computer genius, Palomino said. In 2003, Gonzalez was arrested for hacking but was not charged because he became an informer, helping the Secret Service find other hackers. But authorities said he continued to use his talents for illegal activities.
Over the next five years, he hacked into the computer systems of Fortune 500 companies even while providing assistance to the government.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Never put it past the Feds to not believe wholeheartedly in their own bull$hit.
Seems like the feds got conned into a little human intelligence scam and provided resources for a known criminal.
At least he didn't wind up in congress.
/johnny
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