Albert Gonzalez, a onetime star informant for the US Secret Service, pleaded guilty Tuesday to conspiracy charges in the largest known identity theft case to date. He stands to be sentenced to more than 15 years behind bars at hearing scheduled for March.
Mr Gonzalez formally entered the plea in US District Court in Boston in a case brought over the penetration of multiple retail chains and Heartland Payment Systems, a credit card and debit card processor that prosecutors said coughed up more than 130m records.Several of Mr Gonzalez’ alleged conspirators have also been charged, though two of the most important, in Russia, apparently remain at large.
Mr Gonzalez was known as “CumbaJohnny,” an administrator of major online fraud ring Shadowcrew, when he was arrested years ago. He allowed federal agents to watch his conduct on that site, which led to the then-largest US roundup of identity thieves in 2004.
Operating from a Miami base, he then found new accomplices and drove highways looking for improperly secured wireless networks inside retailers. Once inside the networks, his crew installed “sniffers” to monitor traffic.
The same ring was responsible for a massive breach at T.J. Maxx owner TJX Cos. and the lifting of bank account PINs from Citibank-branded ATMs inside 7-Eleven stores.
