Hacker pleads guilty for stealing 675,000 credit card numbers

A hacker that was found holding more than 675,000 stolen credit card numbers pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge in Alexandria, Virginia.

The hacker, Rogelio Hackett Jr., 26, of Lithonia, Ga., pleaded guilty to trafficking in counterfeit credit cards and aggravated identity theft. Hackett admitted that he sold credit card information, manufactured and sold counterfeit plastic cards, and used the credit card information to acquire gift cards and merchandise. According to court documents, credit card companies have identified tens of thousands of fraudulent transactions using the card numbers found in Hackett’s possession, totaling more than $36 million.

According to court documents, U.S. Secret Service special agents executing a search warrant in 2009 at Hackett’s home found more than 675,000 stolen credit card numbers and related information in his computers and email accounts. Hackett admitted in a court filing that since at least 2002, he has been trafficking in credit card information he obtained either by hacking into business computer networks and downloading credit card databases, or purchasing the information from others using the Internet through various “carding forums.” These forums are online discussion groups used by “carders” to traffic in credit card and other personal identifying information.

Hackett is scheduled to be sentenced on July 22, 2011. He will face maximum penalties of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss, on the access device fraud charge, and an additional mandatory two years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the identity theft charge.