Hannaford Bros. Data Thief Pleads Guilty

BOSTON — Albert Gonzalez pleaded guilty in federal court here yesterday for his role in the computer hacking that resulted in shoppers' personal credit card data being stolen at Hannaford Bros. and other retail chains in 2008. He could be sentenced to 17 to 25 years in prison, according to reports.

As previously reported, Gonzales had entered a plea in federal court in Newark, N.J., earlier this month before the case was transferred to Boston. Gonzales reportedly allowed hackers to access computer servers that he controlled, through which they accessed credit and debit card data being transmitted by a transaction procession, Heartland Payment Systems, and several retailers.

In September he pleaded guilty to 20 counts of conspiracy, computer fraud, wire fraud, identity theft and other charges in related cases involving retail and restaurant chains.

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