“SoupNazi” is Sentenced
Albert Gonzalez, a self taught computer hacker from Miami was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Gonzalez was behind one of the largest credit and debit card thefts in United States history. Working under the names “soupnazi,” “segvec,” and “j4guar,” Gonzalez’s theft cost companies, banks and insurers almost $200 million.
Gonzalez served as a federal informant after being arrested for hacking in 2003. But then, last year, Gonzalez pleaded guilty to breaking into the computer of major retailers (some of which were BJ’s, Barnes & Noble, OfficeMax, Dave and Busters, TJX).
Gonzalez was indicted for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, after authorities said that he and two other men would drive past retailers with laptop computers and tap into the unsecure wireless signals. Then, the three men would install a “sniffer program” which got the information of credit and debit cards as they were entered into the computers of the retailer. Then, the trio would sell those numbers overseas on the black market and by taking a lot of money out of ATMs. The AUSAs assigned to his case, Stephen Heymann, said he thought Gonzalez stole tens of millions of cards. It is thought that Gonzalez made over $2.8 million with which he purchased a Tiffany’s ring, Rolex watches, a car, and a condo in Miami.
Judge Patti Saris sentenced him to the middle of the 15-25 year range that was agreed upon in a plea agreement between the prosecutors and Gonzalez. Originally the prosecutors wanted the maximum, 25 year sentence while Gonzalez’s attorney asked for 15. Judge Saris sentenced Gonzalez to two 20 year terms to run concurrently, one for the case in Massachusetts including OfficeMax, TJX, etc and the other for the New York Case involving Dave and Buster’s. She also sentenced him to three years of supervised release after completing his prisont term where he shall have no access to a computer. Under the plea deal, Gonzalez has to forfeit over $2.7 million o the $2.8 million that he stole as well as give up the condo, car, ring and Rolex watches. The judge set a separate hearing during the summer to determine the amount of restitution Gonzalez will have to pay to the retailers, although the judge did recognize that he probably would be unable to pay what she expects to order.
After being sentenced, Gonzalez blamed his behavior on an addiction to internet pursuits and sobbed while apologizing to his family. Defense counsel cited a report from a psychiatrist claiming that Gonzalez has an Internet addiction and that the computer “is his drug.” Furthermore, after becoming an informant, the authorities say that over the next five years he hacked into many systems while “helping” the government.
Gonzalez is also scheduled to be sentenced by another judge in Boston regarding a case in New Jersey where Gonzalez hacked into a 7-Eleven, Heartland and a Hannaford Bros supermarket.
Sunday, April 25th, 2010


