Hacker in card theft to admit guilt today
Albert Gonzalez, 28, the hacker accused of helping to orchestrate the biggest credit card theft in US history, is expected to plead guilty to two charges in US District Court in Boston today.
Prosecutors accused Gonzalez and his partners of stealing more than 130 million credit and debit cards by hacking into computers of several retailers, including 7-Eleven Inc., the supermarket chain Hannaford Brothers Co., and Heartland Payment Systems, a New Jersey company that processes card payments for thousands of businesses.
Under a plea agreement, Gonzalez will plead guilty to conspiracy and conspiracy to engage in wire fraud. Prosecutors agreed not to seek a sentence of more than 25 years; Gonzalez agreed not to seek a sentence of less than 17 years. He originally faced up to 35 years in prison.
Both parties agreed the sentence should run concurrently with any sentence imposed for two related cases pending in US District Court, in which Gonzalez is facing 15 to 25 years in prison. He pleaded guilty in September to charges of stealing tens of millions of credit cards from retailers, including TJX Cos. of Framingham and BJ’s Wholesale Club of Natick. He also pleaded guilty to charges related to stealing credit card numbers from Dave & Buster’s Inc., a national restaurant chain based in Dallas. He is expected to be sentenced March 18.
Today’s hearing, involving Hannaford, Heartland, 7-Eleven, and others, will be before US District Judge Douglas P. Woodlock.
Gonzalez’s attorneys have presented evidence his judgment was impaired by drug and alcohol abuse, obsession with the Internet, and possibly Asperger syndrome, a developmental disorder.
Todd Wallack can be reached at twallack@globe.com. 
