Hacker pleads guilty in Boston court
Albert Gonzalez, the 28-year-old hacker accused of orchestrating some of the biggest credit card heists in US history, pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to 20 counts of conspiracy, fraud and other charges.
The Miami man, who previously said that he planned to plead guilty, was charged in Massachusetts last year with helping to steal more than 40 million credit card numbers from a number of major retailers, including TJX Cos. of Framingham - which operates T.J. Maxx and Marshalls stores - BJ’s Wholesale Club, based in Natick; Boston Market; OfficeMax; Sports Authority; and Barnes & Noble.
Separately, Gonzalez was charged in New York with stealing credit card numbers from the Dave & Buster's restaurant chain. As part of the plea agreement, the cases were combined in Massachusetts, where Gonzalez pleaded guilty this morning.
If a judge approves the deal, Gonzalez will face between 15 to 25 years in federal prison, plus a possible fine and other restitution. He is slated to be sentenced on Dec. 8.
"He is working to put this behind him,'' said Gonzalez's primary attorney, Rene Palomino Jr. from Miami. "He is extremely remorseful."
Gonzalez himself said little in court yesterday as is typical when entering a plea. Wearing olive-shaded prison clothes and wire-frame glasses, Gonzalez gave brief answers to US District Court Judge Patti B. Saris's questions and occasionally took notes. His once flowing mane of black hair had been trimmed to medium length. He is currently being held in federal custody in Rhode Island.
But Gonzalez still faces additional charges in New Jersey. Last month, federal prosecutors in New Jersey charged Gonzalez with masterminding the theft of more than 130 million additional credit and debit cards, something prosecutors believe to be the largest credit card heist in history.
Specifically, Gonzalez and several others are accused of breaking into the computer network for Heartland Payment Systems, one of the country's largest processors of credit and debit card payments, as well as several major retailers, such as the 7-Eleven national convenience store chain and Hannaford Brothers Co., the regional grocery store chain based in Maine.
In the New Jersey case, Gonzalez faces up to 35 years of additional prison time and $500,000 in fines on charges of conspiracy and wire fraud conspiracy. Gonzalez has not yet been arraigned in the case. But his attorney said he is trying to negotiate a plea bargain arrangement to settle that case as well.
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