According to an article just filed by The Washington Times, the Justice Department has charged a Miami man with perpetrating what is being coined "the largest alleged credit and debit card data breach ever charged in the United States."
The Times reports that Albert Gonzales, 28, is accused of stealing data that affected more than 130 million credit and debit cards. Gonzales, whose nicknames include "soupnazi," targeted 7-Eleven; Heartland Payment Systems; and Hannaford Brothers Co. Inc., a Maine-based supermarket chain.
Along with two unnamed co-conspirators, Gonzales launched an attack on the networks and sent the stolen credit and debit card information to computer servers in California, Illinois, Latvia, the Netherlands and Ukraine. In one earlier case, Gonzales was charged with stealing credit card information after hacking into the computer networks of TJX Corp., a discount chain that operates Marshall's and TJ Maxx stores. He also reportedly infiltrated BJ's Wholesale Club, Barnes & Noble Inc., the Sports Authority, Boston Market restaurants, Office Max, Dave & Buster's restaurants, DSW shoe stores and Forever 21. In that case, he is accused of stealing 40 million credit card numbers.
Gonzalez is being held in New York and faces decades in prison if convicted in all three cases.
