A hacker from Miami pled guilty to conspiracy to hack into computer networks at major U.S. retail and financial groups, and to steal data on tens of millions of credit cards and debit cards on Tuesday.
Albert Gonzalez, who hacked under names including "soupnazi" and "segvec", will be given a prison term of between 17 years and 25 years as part of the plea agreement, said a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice.
BeeDeeDubbleU
5:18 pm on Dec 30, 2009 (gmt 0)
"but time and again they are caught, prosecuted and sentenced to lengthy federal prison terms. Other hackers should sit up and take notice."
Time and again? How come we seldom hear about these prosecutions then?
LifeinAsia
5:25 pm on Dec 30, 2009 (gmt 0)
Other hackers should sit up and take notice.
Yeah, they took notice all right. They laughed at the fool who got caught, then most likely went back to work as normal.
engine
5:28 pm on Dec 30, 2009 (gmt 0)
I'm sure they all work on the basis of not getting caught, isn't that the way with crooks of any type?
swa66
6:22 pm on Dec 30, 2009 (gmt 0)
17 to 25 years for hacking tens of millions of cards: so if he got your card ... he'll do (assuming just 10 million cards, not multiples) between 53 and 79 seconds for it (about a minute).
They're letting him off WAY too easy.
LifeinAsia
6:28 pm on Dec 30, 2009 (gmt 0)
Here's an idea: each of the 10 million card holders get to have 53-79 seconds scheduled with him. Weapons will be prohibited, but the prisoner shall be restrained.
graeme_p
7:48 am on Dec 31, 2009 (gmt 0)
Way too easy? it is more than the average sentence for murder in the US, and far more than the average sentence for rape.
LifeinAsia
4:15 pm on Dec 31, 2009 (gmt 0)
Murders and rapes generally only affect 1 or 2 people at most. We're talking millions of victims here.
lawman
9:58 pm on Dec 31, 2009 (gmt 0)
Those who cite statistics should cite the source
swa66
10:21 pm on Dec 31, 2009 (gmt 0)
The only ones I can remember going on trial for murdering millions was in Nürnberg ... penalties were rather severe as well there.
What's the going rate in the US for stealing somebodies credit card ? (I guess they steal the purse/wallet in that case)
