3 Indicted in Biggest Hacking and ID Theft Case Ever Brought by DOJ
Three individuals are charged in a federal indictment handed down in New Jersey today in what the U.S. attorney’s office in Newark describes in a press release as apparently the largest computer hacking and identity theft case ever prosecuted by the Department of Justice.
At least 130 million credit and debit card numbers allegedly were stolen from five corporate entities by the defendants, who allegedly cased retail outlets to determine from visual inspection the equipment that was being used in point-of-sale transactions before utilizing their computer skills to hack into corporate
computer systems. The release contends that the group was stealing some information in real time, literally downloading credit and debit card information as it was being entered into the computer system at retail outlets including 7-Eleven convenience markets.
Only one of the three alleged wire fraud co-conspirators, Albert Gonzalez, 28, of Miami, is identified. The other two, referred to as Hacker 1 and Hacker 2, are living “in or near” Russia, the release states. Gonzalez, who is also known as “segvec,” “soupnazi” and “j4guar17,” according to prosecutors, is currently in custody awaiting trial in a restaurant computer hacking case in federal court in Manhattan.
U.S. Attorney Ralph Marra credits global cooperation by international law enforcement agencies for making it possible to obtain today’s indictment.
Hat tip: Wall Street Journal Law Blog.
Additional coverage:
Bloomberg: “U.S. Indicts Three in Theft of 130 Million Accounts”
