Washington, March 26: An American man who stole millions of credit card numbers in one of the biggest computer hacking operations in US history has been sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Albert Gonzalez, 28, pleaded guilty last September to separate cases related to hacking into the computers of big retailers including TJX Cos and BJ’s Wholesale Club.
Sentencing him in Boston, Judge Patti Saris described it as “the largest and most costly example of computer hacking in US history”.
The sentence was less than the 25 years demanded by prosecutors.
Ms Saris said several factors were taken into consideration.
“I have read many letters from people who love you. However I have also read of your macho glee on how you can beat the system,” the judge said.
Gonzalez faces sentencing in other cases later today.
More than 250 financial institutions were targeted in the scam, also including Heartland Payment Systems, a New Jersey-based card payment processor; 7-Eleven and Hannaford Brothers, a Maine-based supermarket chain.
Gonzalez was accused of leasing servers to other cyber-thieves who used the platforms to store malicious software known as “malware” and launch attacks against corporate victims.
—Agencies