Hacker who aided Feds charged in theft of 130 million credit card numbers

Albert Gonzalez, a 28-year-old computer hacker, was indicted yesterday for stealing 130 million credit card numbers, topping his previous record of allegedly stealing 40 million credit card numbers in a series of Wi-Fi based intrusions of U.S. retailers, including TJ Maxx, Office Max and DSW. Gonzalez, known on the internet as "soupnazi," worked as an informant for the Secret Service in 2003 to help expose credit identity thieves.

The Justice Department's latest charges involving 130 million credit card numbers stolen between 2006 and 2008 will have to wait until two other cases against Gonzalez are heard. Gonzalez has been in custody since May 2008, when he was arrested for stealing credit card data at Dave & Buster's. He was also indicted in another identify theft case, including data breaches at T.J. Maxx. He is awaiting trial in New York on the Dave & Buster's case, then will face trial in Massachusetts on the T.J. Maxx breach, before he will face trial in New Jersey on the latest breach.