Fla. man accepts plea in record data theft case

August 28, 2009 By TAMARA LUSH , Associated Press Writer

(AP) -- An accused computer hacker charged in what prosecutors call the largest identity fraud case in U.S. history has agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft charges.

Under a plea agreement with federal prosecutors filed in Boston on Friday, Albert Gonzalez would serve a sentence of 15 to 25 years after pleading guilty to a 19-count indictment. He would also forfeit some $2.8 million in cash, a Miami condo, a car and expensive jewelry.

The 28-year-old is charged with swiping credit and debit card numbers of more than 170 million accounts.

Gonzalez was arrested in Miami in 2008. He had once been an informant for the U.S. Secret Service.

©2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

• KBK - Aug 28, 2009
  • Rank: 1 / 5 (1)
  I guess he did something that the Secret service didn't like....as in steal and utilize their methods. Or, he was still working for them, until he did something on his own.
  
  This thing has the smell of bullshit all over it.
  
  Specifically from the Secret Service side, as these things don't happen out of the blue.
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• dirk_bruere - Aug 30, 2009
  • Rank: not rated yet
  A reasonable sentence.
  A pity spammers don't get the same.
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